In Laughter, In Strife
by ProfessionalxDaydreamer
Summary: Forced together by Angel, reluctant exes Maureen and Joanne reflect on the ups and downs of their relationship; and maybe, just maybe, start anew. Or not? Multi-chapter fic, rated T, MoJo. R&R!
1. a Setup

**A/n: Hi all! I'm back again...What can I say? I'm addicted to fanfiction, and not so good with dramatic intrigue and all that. I also tend to post things right after I write them.**

**Anyways, this idea struck me and I just started writing. Originally, it was supposed to be a series of oneshots about Maureen and Joanne's relationship, but of course my mind had other ideas and now it's going to be a full-length story, sort of in bits and pieces. I doubt it'll be quite as long as my last one, this will be a more short-ish chapter story.**

**So, I'm sort of feeling my way through this...go easy on me =)**

Chapter 1

Joanne Jefferson made her way through the crowded East Village streets, umbrella held firmly over her head. April really was the rainiest month of the year, and Joanne was glad that she'd brought the umbrella, and that she'd worn her boots instead of heels for this particular expedition.

She was meeting Angel for dinner at the Life Cafe tonight. Joanne had to smile at the thought of Angel and how sweet she was. When Joanne and Maureen had ended their relationship for good over a month ago, Jo had buried herself in her work, not bothering to go out with the Bohos much anymore.

Maureen would be there with them, anyway, and Joanne _really _didn't want to see her anytime soon, although she hoped that they could eventually become friends, or at least tolerate each other, for the sake of their friends.

The bell on the door of the Life Cafe jingled pleasantly as Joanne stepped inside, shaking out her umbrella and ringing out her damp hair. She looked around the restaurant, where soft jazz music was playing. The dim lighting gave the cafe a sophisticated feeling, and Joanne instantly smiled as she looked around at the tables, trying to spot Angel at one of them.

Who she saw, however, was not Angel.

Instead, Maureen Johnson sat at a table, looking bored as hell. A shock coursed through Joanne as she took in the drama queen's figure; she looked _good. _She was inspecting her nails carefully, which was something Joanne knew she did while waiting for something. Or someone...

Before Joanne could hide herself from Maureen, the diva was looking straight at her, those honey-coloured eyes practically glaring at her. When Joanne finally met those eyes, they were looking expectantly into Joanne's, as if Maureen was waiting for some sort of explanation as to why Joanne was there.

After a few seconds, Joanne reluctantly made her way over to Maureen's table, not meeting her eyes. She stared at the deep red tablecloth. "Hello," she greeted it.

She heard the scowl in Maureen's voice. "Hey."

Finally, Joanne looked up. "What are you doing here?"

Maureen shrugged as if it wasn't really any of Joanne's business, but she'd humor her anyway. "I'm meeting someone here."

Joanne felt her heart stop as she processed the words. Maureen was seeing someone?

Although they had broken up more than a month ago, and it was perfectly acceptable for Maureen to be seeing someone other than Joanne, even expected, she felt sickened by the idea.

Because Maureen wasn't supposed to be with other people.

She was _supposed _to be with...

No.

_It didn't work out last time, it wouldn't this time. You've moved on to bigger and better things, _Joanne scolded herself. _Besides, you are over her. O-V-E-_

"Joanne?" Maureen's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Mmm?" Joanne answered, distracted.

"I asked what _you_ were doing here," Maureen said impatiently, and Joanne looked at her again. "Oh, I'm, uh...meeting someone, too."

There.

Now Maureen would think that she was dating someone, too, and they could both go on with their lives and be happy. With other people.

Maureen cocked an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. They stood in a challenging silence for a couple of beats, neither of their expressions changing. It wasn't until Joanne heard a voice behind her that she turned.

"Well, well, well! Look who we've got here. My two favorite chicas!" Angel's perky voice floated to their table from the front of the cafe, where Angel beamed at the host and then weaved her way around tables to get to Maureen's.

"Hey, Angel, there you are," Maureen said expectantly, and Joanne frowned. "Angel, I thought we were having din-" She stopped, suddenly feeling like a complete idiot. It was a set up! Angel had set up Maureen and Joanne, so that they'd talk and then magically get back together or something like that. Well, that obviously was not a good plan, and it sure as hell wasn't going to work!

Joanne opened her mouth to say something, but Maureen, who appeared to have come to the same conclusion, beat her to it. "Angel...Not a good idea..." Maureen started, clenching that magnificent jaw of hers.

Wait, magnificent? Now was not the time to be thinking of Maureen's jaw.

"Ang, that's sweet that you want to help and all, but that's really not going to work. I'm sorry." Joanne said to her friend, and Angel grinned evilly.

"Oh, but it will! I want you two to sit down and talk out your problems. Believe me, I've done this before with Meems and Roger, and it worked. Now-" Angel looked at Maureen sharply, who bit back what she had been about to say.

"Collins and I will be at that table over there-" She pointed at Collins, who was seated at the table. He waved and lifted his beer glass to them with a grin. "-And I've already talked to the host over there, that nice man with the tie. Bernard, I think his name is. Anyway, we'll all be making sure you don't go anywhere for quite awhile."

Joanne shook her head. "Angel, listen, I appreciate your kindness, but Maureen and I are adults. It was a mutual breakup, and we don't need you to do this."

Angel pulled something glittery and shiny out of her bag. "If you two don't behave, we'll be forced to take drastic measures. And only I have the key." She grinned, showing them the pair of handcuffs.

Maureen's face lit up, and she reached across the table and grabbed Joanne's arm. "Oh, my god! Joanne, handcuffs! Lets-" she stopped suddenly, remembering that the two were broken up. Her cheeks had a bit of a blush to them, and she quickly let go of Joanne's arm.

Angel clapped her hands together. "That's the spirit! Oh, and if you need anything, which you won't, Collins and I will be over there, eating our meal _very slowly._" With that, she turned and walked away, toward the corner table.

Joanne looked at Maureen with an embarrassed look on her face. "Our friends," she said, and Maureen nodded with a half-smile.

"Look, Joanne, I know we'd both rather be different places right now. But if we're trapped here anyways, we might as well just talk. As friends," she added quickly.

Joanne nodded slowly. "Yeah, I suppose we could do that." She sat down in the chair across from Maureen, trying to ignore the romantic feel of the dimly-lit cafe, not to mention the lone, lit candle that sat in-between them. Maureen seemed to notice it, too, and she quickly motioned for the waiter, who hurried over to their table, looking appreciatively at Maureen.

"Hey there, pretty lady," the waiter said, and Maureen smiled at him with a smirk. "You're not too bad yourself," she said, and Joanne rolled her eyes. Of course Maureen would do something like this in front of her.

But to her surprise, Maureen didn't go at it any longer. She got right down to business, ordering herself a beer. "Joanne, beer?" She asked, knowing what her ex-girlfriend always drank when they went out together.

Joanne paused. "Well, I'd better not, I mean-"

Maureen rolled her eyes. "Two beers." The waiter walked away, and Joanne shook her head in exasperation. "Still the old Maureen, huh?" She asked jokingly, and Maureen shrugged. "Who else is going to loosen you up?"

Joanne smiled. Maybe this was a good thing. Maybe they could do this: Maureen and Joanne, friends. After all, they were just two women who had been lesbian lovers, but besides that, they'd always been good friends. Joanne's mind wandered as she thought about the two of them going shopping or to the mall, doing regular, platonic "friend" things.

Maureen waved a hand in front of her face. "Mmm?" Joanne answered, blinking.

Maureen shook her head. "I forgot how much you used to get caught up in your own thoughts." Joanne was about to respond, but the waiter came back with their drinks.

He looked at the two of them quizzically, probably wondering if he could finagle a date with Maureen. He gestured from Joanne to Maureen. "Sisters?" He questioned.

Maureen shook her head quickly. "Not anymore."

Joanne felt an odd, deflating feeling in her chest at these words, and she couldn't help what came out of her mouth next. "Yeah, no thanks to you," she said bitterly, reaching for her beer and taking a huge gulp.

Maureen's mouth hung open. "Uh, excuse me, Ms. Anal Retentive Bitch?" She said angrily, scaring the poor waiter away.

Joanne shook her head, speaking lowly, so they didn't cause a scene. "All I asked were a few things, Maureen, that you wouldn't do, for the sake of my _sanity. _And it was the last straw, it really was-"

"Oh, _please, _Joanne. You have got to be kidding me. That had nothing to do with us breaking up! You're just...remembering it wrong." Maureen's nostrils flaired, an angry habit of hers.

Joanne sighed and folded her hands on top of the table. "Well, you obviously have a shitty memory. Because _this _is what happened..."

**Reviewers get to know what happened! Lol...But really. I'd like to know if I should continue this, and if anyone's interested or not. Thanks. :)**


	2. a Breakup

**A/n: Yes, I got the smoking thing from "He's Just Not That Into You." Lol, it's a pretty good movie :)**

Chapter 2

Joanne was sprawled out on the large double-bed, shuffling through a stack of paperwork when she heard the door to the apartment open and close softly. She shook her head, looking at the clock on the nightstand. It was 11:30 p.m., and Maureen was supposed to have been home two hours ago.

"Hey, baby!" Maureen leaned against the doorway, grinning like a fool. Joanne just looked at her with a disdainful expression, one eyebrow quirked.

Maureen tilted her head. "What?"

Joanne just shook her head, anger bubbling up inside of her. Still, she tried to speak calmly as Maureen walked over to her and sank down onto the bed, kneading Joanne's shoulders. This action usually made Joanne melt, but tonight was different. She'd had enough, that was for sure.

"You were supposed to be home two hours ago," Joanne said through her teeth, shrinking away from Maureen's touch.

Maureen sighed as if Joanne was being annoying. "Pookie, I was just at the Life Cafe! The audition didn't go so well, and I needed a drink!"

Joanne turned to look at Maureen, her dark eyes burning. "And you didn't think to call?!"

Maureen stood up, exasperated. "Jesus Christ, Joanne! Don't be so fucking...clingy! I just went for a drink, that's all! What'd you think, I was cheating on you?" She said the last sentence like the idea was completely ridiculous.

There was silence.

Maureen's mouth hung open. "Seriously? You're _that_ insecure in our relationship?"

Joanne ran a hand through her hair. "Well, Maureen, you seem to flirt with everything that moves anyway, so I think you do a good job of making me constantly question this relationship, yes." She stayed glued to the bed, not able to move.

Maureen's eyes flashed incredulously.

They didn't speak for a moment, and finally Maureen's jaw unclenched and she sat back down on the bed, putting her head in her hands. She drew in a ragged breath. "Joanne, I'd never cheat on you."

Joanne didn't respond.

Maureen sighed and scooted closer to Joanne, putting a tentative hand on her shoulder. She moved in for what might've been a kiss, and Joanne might've reciprocated, but then she smelled Maureen's breath.

She tensed, moving away from her girlfriend.

She spoke quietly. "Maureen, have you been smoking?"

Maureen looked away, studying the bedspread. "Maybe."

Joanne finally stood up, biting her lip in anger. Her eye twitched, and Joanne knew that this would escalate into a full-blown fight, like it always did.

"So what, anyway? I mean, I'm a grown up and you're not my mother! I don't have to obey you or anything." Maureen looked at her challengingly.

Joanne shook her head in disgust. "We've had this discussion countless times! What part of my grandfather died from lung cancer don't you understand?! It's like you don't even care about what I think or say!" She yelled, her face set firmly in a scowl. This was the final straw. This was...

Maureen rolled her eyes. "No, but that doesn't mean-"

"Save it." Joanne cut her off coolly. "You can pack your things."

Maureen's mouth fell open. "What?"

Joanne shrugged. "I'm so tired of this, Maureen. I love you, I really do, but this just isn't working out. I'm so tired of the lying, the staying out all night! I feel like your mother! We can't even go a week without fighting!" She threw her hands up, a gesture that had "this is final" written all over it.

Maureen blinked back tears. "Fine!" She spat, grabbing her keys and purse. "I'll be back for my things. And I'm gonna smoke a whole fucking pack of these while I'm at the loft!" She waved her pack of camels at Joanne.

A few minutes later, Joanne heard the door slam, and she collapsed onto the bed weakly, letting the tears fall.

~x~

Maureen sat in front of Joanne, worry in her eyes. "Jeez, Joanne. I'm...I'm sorry."

Joanne shook her head, trying to smile. "Well, it doesn't matter now," she said lightly. Maureen clenched her fists, wanting badly to take Joanne's soft palm in hers, but she knew that it wouldn't be appropriate.

"I think you should hear what I've got to say about it, though," Maureen finished, raising a challenging eyebrow at Joanne. She nodded. "Go ahead, but it's not going to change anything."

Maureen arched an eyebrow. "Why would I think it would change anything?"

Joanne looked around, drumming her fingers on the tabletop. Finally, she looked back at Maureen again. "Never mind. Go ahead."

~x~

Maureen walked up the stairs to the fourth floor apartment, dragging her feet the entire way. She'd had a terrible day, and now all she wanted to do was go home and cuddle with Joanne, who could always make her feel better with a simple kiss and hug.

She'd gone to a very important audition earlier; one she'd been looking forward to for months. It was for the lead in an off-Broadway show, and this time, Maureen thought she'd had a good chance of at least getting a callback. When she got to the audition place, however, a line snaked out the door and around the corner. There was another line right next to it, but it was even longer.

Maureen tried to get in the shorter line, until she started chatting with a woman in front of her, and found out that it was the line for actors with Equity cards.

Maureen didn't have an Equity card yet, which was unfortunate, because she had to go stand in the longer line, which by then was even _longer._

After five hours of waiting out in the February cold, Maureen finally went in to audition for the casting director.

"Hi, I'm-"

"Thank you." The director cut her off with a wave of his hand, motioning for the next woman to come in. Maureen's mouth fell open, and being Maureen, she decided to inquire as to why they were turning her away so quickly.

"What the hell, man? You didn't even let me sing my sixteen bars!"

The director shrugged in a "that's showbiz" kind of way. "Sorry, honey, but you aren't right for the part. You just don't have 'it'."

Maureen felt tears burn the back of her eyes, and she stalked out of the room before the director could see her cry.

On the way home from the Upper West Side studio, Maureen pulled out her stash of Camels, lighting one up and inhaling the sweet smoke.

She felt the muscles in her body relax slightly, and a less stressed-out feeling settled over her. Joanne hated it when she smoked, but Maureen only did it after a bad audition.

The cigarette didn't help much, though, and it was getting dark, so Maureen decided to stop in the Life Cafe for a beer or two. That was what she really needed, she decided.

Later, standing outside the door of her and Joanne's apartment, Maureen popped a mint into her mouth and twisted the knob, walking inside and quietly shutting it behind her.

~x~

"And you know the rest," Maureen said, shrugging.

Joanne gave a sad smile. "I'm sorry about your audition, Mo. I didn't know."

"No, you didn't," Maureen snapped, and Joanne threw her hands up in defense. "You just kicked me out!"

Finally she calmed down, and Joanne lowered her hands.

After a small silence, Joanne smirked. "I always knew I couldn't change you. I think that's what drew me to you in the first place, really. Your individuality. Have you ever noticed how what makes you love a person can end up making you totally pissed off, too?"

Maureen nodded in agreement. "Like the way you used to be so over-protective of me? I used to think you were my strong Joanne, always defending me, but...then it got to be pretty stifling."

Joanne looked at her and frowned. "Anyway," she said after awhile, "I think it's funny that we broke up, technically, because of a smoking issue. Because that's what you were doing when we first met, remember? Smoking." She laughed at the memory.

Maureen grinned with nostalgia. "Yeah. It's hard to believe that was three years ago," she said, and the waiter chose right then to come by their table.

"Hi again," he said with a smirk toward Maureen, and Joanne rolled her eyes. "More beer? Any food?"

Maureen glanced at Joanne. "Actually, _Phil,_" Maureen said, reading his nametag, "I'm kind of hungry. Do you think you could get me a soy burger dinner, and a seaweed salad for the health nut over there?" She pointed at Joanne, who grinned at Maureen.

The waiter leaned in. "Are you sure you don't want a _hot dog_? They're really good here." He smiled flirtatiously, and Joanne wrinkled her nose at the weird pick-up line.

She was convinced that Maureen would flirt with him again, but she surprised Joanne yet again as she shook her head.

"I'm a vegetarian," she said flatly, and the waiter blushed. "Right, right. Sorry." He walked away, leaving Joanne and Maureen to re-live the memory of their first meeting.

**Can you guess what the next chapter's gonna be about? ;) Reviewers get virtual cookies! With rainbow sprinkles, YAY!**


	3. a Meeting

**A/n: Thanks so much for reviewing, you lovely people, you.**

Chapter 3

~x~

The elevator sang its familiar _ding _as the sleek, metal doors opened to reveal the small, enclosed space behind them. Without so much as a glance forward, Joanne Jefferson stepped inside of the elevator, briefcase in hand. She squeezed into a space in the corner, reaching over to press the button for the fortieth floor.

It was 7:30 a.m. on the dot, and Joanne was already wishing that she could go back to her empty, yet welcoming apartment, where she could sleep the rest of the morning away in peace. A benefit of being a Public Interest lawyer was having a high enough salary to afford a nice apartment without a roommate; and Joanne liked her small, yet modest SoHo walkup.

The medium-sized salary was, decidedly, the only benefit of her job, for Public Interest lawyers were usually stuck with the cases that no one wanted: homeless people, artists, and drug addicts usually couldn't afford much for their case (or they couldn't afford anything at all, in many situations); so Joanne's work was mostly Pro-Bono.

Joanne had an 8 a.m. meeting with one of these clients. The elevator doors began to close with another _ding, _but before they could shut completely, a cream-coloured hand shot out, stopping the doors completely. They re-opened to accommodate a slightly frazzled-looking, twenty-something woman.

She caught her breath, squeezing in next to a man across from Joanne. The elevator began traveling up to the higher floors; sometimes letting people off, sometimes acquiring new passengers. Both Joanne and the woman stayed.

By the thirteenth floor, Joanne snuck a glance at the woman, who wore tight leather pants and a black, form-fitting tank top. The first thing Joanne thought was, _She doesn't belong here. _Her clothing was much too informal, and way too revealing for the Law Offices of Jefferson and co.

Joanne herself was dressed in a modest, yet feminine business suit. Personally, she preferred pantsuits; but her father, who owned the law practice, insisted that she look "like a woman," and not so masculine.

It made her angry, but she couldn't exactly complain, since her father was her boss.

As Joanne was staring at the woman, she looked over, her curly, chocolate brown hair flipping over her shoulder. Her honey-coloured eyes met Joanne's for a split second.

Joanne froze, enchanted by the unique eyes, but she quickly looked down, knowing that she'd been caught staring. Instead of meeting the woman's gaze again, she stared at her expensive Doc Martens, the ones her father always made a fuss about her wearing.

But she did anyway, just to make him angry.

Finally, a redheaded man stepped out of the elevator at the twenty-seventh floor, leaving Joanne and the mystery woman alone.

At the Twenty-eighth floor, Joanne finally glanced back up at the woman, who was looking away.

At the twenty-ninth floor, the two locked eyes.

At the thirtieth floor, everything lurched to a stop, the lights went out, and there was dead silence. Joanne noticed that the elevator wasn't moving.

"Shit," the other woman cursed, kicking the steel wall with her foot. "Ow, shit!" She said again, and Joanne guessed that steel wasn't a very good thing to kick.

"Well," Joanne heard herself speak, her voice mildly scratchy because it was so early in the morning, "I guess we're stuck." She ran a hand nervously through her shoulder-length corkscrew curls.

The woman turned to Joanne, rolling her eyes. "Of course we're stuck. Crappy elevators," she muttered. "I have an eight o' clock that I can't miss!"

Joanne nodded. "Me too," she said, looking at her watch. It was 7:45, and unless they were rescued soon, they would both be late. The woman sighed, sinking to the floor. "Ugh, these heels are killing me," she said, taking one off and rubbing her foot. "Shoulda worn boots, like you."

Joanne couldn't help but laugh at the adorable expression of discontent on her face.

_Wait, adorable? Don't do this to yourself, Jo..._

Despite what her brain was saying, every single bone in her body wanted to sit next to this woman, and eventually they won the battle, Joanne sinking down next to her. "Well, we might as well get comfortable. We'll probably be here for awhile," Joanne said.

After a minute, the woman looked over at Joanne and smiled. "True. I like your docs, by the way. Very nice," she said, pointing to Joanne's shoes, and Joanne found herself unable to look away from those warm eyes that bore into her own.

"Thanks," Joanne finally answered breathlessly, tearing her eyes away from the woman's. They traveled downward. Joanne couldn't help checking out the woman's toned body, which was highlighted by the clothes she wore.

After a few seconds, the woman pulled a pack of cigarettes out of her purse. "Listen," she said, holding them out for Joanne to see, "I know they always say 'don't smoke in elevators, it's a fire hazard,' but I _really _need one, and who knows how long we'll be in here? Do you object?" She offered one to Joanne, who declined politely.

Had the situation been any different; had Joanne knew this woman, she would have instantly objected. But somehow, out of fear that the woman would become upset if Joanne said no, she found herself shrugging nonchalantly, as if people smoked in elevators all the time.

The woman lit it up and took a drag, eventually letting out a puff of smoke, languidly closing her eyes for a moment as she smiled slightly. "Thanks."

Though she didn't know why, Joanne felt like she was a teenager again; having friends around her smoke, and being the only one who didn't partake in it. She found herself feeling like a five-year-old, for the first time in a long time.

She thought that once, just this once, she could compromise herself, if only to impress this gorgeous woman. She turned her head to the woman. "Could I have one of those?"

The woman opened her eyes quickly, rummaging around in her purse for a lighter. She pulled a limp cigarette out of the pack, turned back to her with a half-grin; boldly stuck it in Joanne's slightly agape mouth for her, and lit the tip with her purple lighter. Joanne shivered as the woman's long, soft fingers quickly and accidentally brushed against her lips.

Joanne took a hit from it, feeling herself become a bit giddy and light-headed after a few drags.

Joanne hadn't smoked a cigarette since high school, and the one time she did, it hadn't been in the company of such a sexy, gorgeous, interesting woman.

_Wait, what? _

Joanne really didn't want to crush on yet _another _straight woman. It had become a pattern in her life: Annie Martin in the sixth grade, Julie Webber in tenth. Kat, her college roommate...that one hadn't gone over well. Now she was fresh out of Law School, and she still always ended up liking the women who would never go for her. And here she was, smoking with a perfect stranger, feeling those damned butterflies in her stomach again.

The woman studied Joanne, cocking her head to the side. She spoke in an equally sexy voice, especially for 8 a.m. Joanne sure as hell was awake now.

"You know, docs, if I had to pick anyone from this entire goddamned stuffy law office to be stuck in an elevator with, it'd be you. It's not too bad, being stuck with you." She said in a lazy sort of drawl, and Joanne blushed, reveling in the compliment, and in the way the woman had called her "docs."

She looked back at the woman after a minute. "Yeah, I think so, too." The woman grinned.

Instead of the confident buzz that a shot of alcohol would've given her (and goddess knew Joanne needed something like that right now, even this early in the morning), the cigarette in-between Joanne's fingers was making her shaky and a bit nervous.

"So, what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" The woman asked Joanne, and she smirked in return. "Work, work, work. Somedays, I really hate my job."

She nodded. "I hear you. Going to auditions suck, especially because my chances of getting cast are so low. I mean, anyone's are, especially if it's a good show."

Joanne raised an eyebrow. "You're an actress?" It seemed fitting.

She smiled. "More or less. When I'm not beat out by better ones for a role."

Joanne shrugged casually. "Well, at least you're beautiful. You've got that going for you. In getting cast, I mean."

The woman raised her other eyebrow, and Joanne stifled the urge to cover her mouth. She really shouldn't have said that, she really shouldn't have...

"Really?" The woman said curiously, seeming to look at Joanne almost in a different light.

Joanne nodded eagerly, then tried to cover the entire action with a hacking cough.

"Interesting. So...what are you insinuating?" She asked, turning fully toward Joanne.

Joanne looked around, at anything but this woman's eyes. "What do you mean? I'm not allowed to compliment you?"

The woman shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose you are. But I think it's more than a compliment."

Joanne choked. "You- you do?" This conversation was getting way too complicated for her.

She nodded slowly, a playful look in her eye. They had a silent staring contest for a moment, until finally the woman spoke again.

"So, do you get stuck in elevators with random women and tell them they're beautiful often? Is this all part of the grand plan?" She asked teasingly.

Joanne shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I do. Maybe it is."

Just as she said the last word, the dim light in the elevator suddenly became bright again, and it finally began moving again. Joanne quickly sprang to her feet, with the woman getting up slowly and, of course, more gracefully.

"I enjoyed this, docs," the woman said the name endearingly, and it made Joanne feel warm inside.

"Me, too," Joanne answered with a grin, wishing that this wasn't all going to come to a stop in about a minute and a half.

Before she could register what was happening, the woman stepped closer and closer to Joanne, holding out her hand. "I'm Maureen," she practically whispered, and Joanne felt her breath hitch in her throat.

"Joanne," she whispered back, shaking the hand, and Maureen pulled it away, resting her hands on Joanne's hips; pulling her in close for a tight hug, so tight, in fact, that she could feel the contours of Maureen's breasts and hips against her own.

_Straight women didn't do that, did they?_

Joanne felt her heart stop, unaware that anyone could have such a strong effect on her. She decided to take advantage of it, especially since she'd probably never see this woman again. She stepped closer and wrapped both arms around Maureen's shoulders. She rested her chin in the crook of Maureen's neck, and inhaled slightly.

Surprisingly, she smelled like strawberries. It wasn't sexy, but it was definitely cute. She could feel Maureen's breath on her neck, and it sent delicious chills down her spine.

Finally, after what could've been ten seconds or ten years, Maureen pulled away from the hug, but not before almost imperceptibly brushing her lips against Joanne's cheek.

Maureen could have plausibly just been turning her head, and it just happened.

Or not. That was a little friendly for someone you just met in an elevator a half hour ago. Wasn't it?

Joanne was hoping for the 'not.'

The elevator doors opened, letting new passengers in, and both Maureen and Joanne got out on the fortieth floor.

Joanne didn't think it strange when Maureen kept walking alongside her, smiling at her every so often.

She did, however, think it slightly strange when they both were near the end of the hall, still side-by-side. She glanced at Maureen, who now had a confused expression on her face.

She was looking from the gold letters that spelled out "J. Jefferson, Attorney," to Joanne, her eyes widening with realization.

Maureen didn't keep walking past Joanne. Instead she looked at the door, and then at Jo with a half-smirk and a shake of her head.

"_You're_ my lawyer?" She said, and Joanne paused, both thanking and cursing whomever was up there in the sky. Whomever it was, they must've owed her a favor.

It was going to be a long day.

xo

**You know, I just realized that the smoking thing has been a pattern with me; it seems to happen in both this story and my last one. I dunno why...maybe because smoking is sexy? (But don't try it in elevators!) ^^**

Oh and also, I think I'm looking for a beta. And I'm just throwing it out there, but if anyone's interested, you know, just send me a PM or something, and I'll love you forever for beta-ing my fics. :D


	4. a Confession

**Mad props to my shiny new beta, MissBonhamCartersPoppet. **

Chapter 4

By the time Joanne was finished telling the story, both she and Maureen were practically in hysterics.

"It was fate," Maureen laughed, and Joanne had to agree.

After a minute, Maureen wiped her eyes, a big grin still on her face. The waiter came back with their food, which Joanne was glad of; she was starving.

"Aww, Pook- um, Joanne...That was so cute, what you were thinking about when we met."

Joanne blushed, looking down at the table.

"You know what I thought, when I first looked at you?" Maureen continued.

"What?" Joanne asked curiously.

Maureen laughed. "I thought, 'what a square!' But there was something about you...I don't know if it was the Doc Martens, or how uncomfortable you looked in that skirt...But I knew that there was something wild inside of you, just waiting for me to un-cage it."

Joanne snorted. "Oh," Maureen added, "and that little kiss on the cheek? You didn't imagine that." She winked at Joanne, who looked down. This couldn't be starting again. Maureen was flirting, she knew, and Joanne didn't know how good of a job she was doing at _not _flirting back.

Couldn't they just be friends? Joanne was finally starting to feel confident in her life without Maureen: it was simpler, more peaceful. She'd found a really nice-

"Earth to Joanne!" Maureen waved a hand in front of her dazed-out face. She turned to Phil, who was suddenly there, and smirked.

"Yes, Phil, we would love some more beer," Maureen said with an amused smile on her face, and Joanne rolled her eyes at how the drama queen kept ordering for her.

They were silent for a moment, as honey eyes looked into chocolate ones.

After awhile, Joanne interrupted the silence. "You know, this could really work," she said with a nod.

Maureen raised a questioning eyebrow, and Joanne shrugged. "The whole 'friends' thing. I like it."

Maureen smiled a little bit. "Yeah, it's not so bad."

Joanne was glad that Maureen felt the same way. "I mean, who knows? It could be even better this way, because then we wouldn't be fighting all the time; getting on each others' nerves!" She reached out and gave Maureen's hand a small pat, and then withdrew it, taking a drink of her second beer as an excuse.

Instead of responding, Maureen took a huge gulp of her beer. She set it down, looking at something above Joanne's head, seemingly eager to change the subject. "After I figured out that you were my lawyer, I was glad, because I really wanted to see you again. Little did I know, though, that you were gonna be such a bitch!"

Joanne smiled guiltily. "Well, excuse me for being professional."

Maureen shook her head. "I saw right through that, Jo. You totally had the hots for me, that was for sure."

~x~

Maureen quirked an eyebrow. "_You're _my lawyer?"

Joanne's mouth hung open, and Maureen couldn't help but smirk at the awestruck expression on her face, even though she was just as surprised.

Joanne blinked. "Ms. Johnson?" She said, putting the pieces together. Maureen responded with a "Ms. Jefferson?"

Apparently Joanne hadn't known her first name, either.

Joanne cleared her throat, pulling out a key and unlocking the door. She turned to Maureen, motioning for her to step inside. "After you," she said, and something about Joanne had changed. It was as if she'd put up a wall between the two of them, when before it had only been a thin veil.

"Have a seat right there, Maur- er, Ms. Johnson," Joanne said politely, gesturing to a chair in front of her desk. She sat, with a roll of her eyes, crossing her legs. "You can call me Maureen, you know,"

Joanne smiled tightly and didn't say anything.

"So," she started, pulling out a notepad and pen, probably to take notes with, as well as a manila folder, which she opened. "It says here that you were arrested for....starting a _riot?_ At your protest for animal rights."

Maureen nodded. "But you know, those sons of bitches didn't need to sue me, dammit! I mean, come on...I'm not made of money, here. I'm a starving artist, it's part of the job description."

Joanne nodded, obviously amused by what she was reading. Maureen furrowed her brows. She'd at least like it if her lawyer would take her seriously.

"Something funny?" Maureen blurted out, unable to stand the almost mocking expression of her lawyer.

Joanne looked up, raising her eyebrows. "Oh, uh, no. No, I was just reading this. It says here that you also '_mooned and flashed' _several policemen, in order to, and I quote, 'get your point across.'"

Maureen scowled, shaking my head. "Listen, I care a lot about the rights of animals, and I know that most people think that animals don't feel anything, but it's been proven in several studies that many of them-"

"They do," Joanne finished for Maureen with a nod. "I'm a vegetarian. Member of the SPCA. I adopted both of my cats from no-kill shelters. I think that's why my dad assigned you to me."

Maureen must have looked shocked, because Joanne chuckled. "Yeah, my dad owns this firm."

"Huh," Maureen said in wonder, and Joanne continued on.

By the end of their meeting, it was 9:30 a.m., and they had both talked quite a bit, though not about what Maureen really wanted to talk about. She found herself wanting to learn everything about Joanne, who was being very guarded about her personal life. She also, for some reason, wanted Joanne to know everything there was to know about Maureen Johnson.

When Joanne stood up to see Maureen out, Maureen's heart began pounding. She looked from Joanne's long, mocha fingertips, which rested on the desktop, to her face, which was set firmly in a polite smile.

She decided that it was now or never.

"Listen, Joanne, I was wondering if you'd like to...maybe...have dinner with me some night this week? You know, to discuss the case and all..." Maureen trailed off, waiting for a response from a tense-looking Joanne.

Joanne visibly sucked in a breath, her smile fading.

"Ms. Johnson, I-"

"Oh, come off it! Drop the 'Ms. Johnson' already. It's me, Maureen? We met in the elevator?" Maureen rolled her eyes at Joanne's professionalism. It was really getting annoying.

"Okay, Maureen." Joanne settled on this, sitting back down. "I'm sorry, but I just don't think that would be a good idea. I'm your lawyer."

"But-"

"I'm sorry, okay? Have a nice day, and I'll see you next Tuesday," Joanne said, and Maureen stood up, slightly exasperated. She let herself out, scowling all the way to the elevator.

Finally, she'd met a really smart, sexy woman. Sure, Maureen flirted with everyone, but she sensed that something was very different about this one. She was so sure that Joanne would accept the dinner invitation- she knew that the lawyer must have been interested in Maureen.

She'd seen the way Joanne had stuttered and blushed in the elevator. She was probably attracted to Maureen but didn't know it, one of those lesbians-in-denial. Well, Maureen wasn't going to give up on Joanne anytime soon. This was going to be a challenge, and Maureen Johnson _loved _a good challenge.

~x~

Maureen took a sip of her drink, setting it down with a shrug. Joanne smiled sheepishly. "Hey, I'm sorry! If it makes you feel better, I totally would've asked you out after the trial."

Maureen rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. If I hadn't done what I finally did-"

They were interrupted by a harsh ringing sound, and Joanne jumped as she recognized the sound as her cell phone ringer. She rummaged through her purse, opening and hitting "send" to answer it.

"Hello?" Joanne said in her signature questioning-yet-not-questioning-because-she-had-caller-ID way. It was just another cute little quirk of Joanne's that Maureen had come to love over the course of their relationship.

"Oh, hi," Joanne said, and she really did sound surprised. Maureen raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, me too," she continued, pausing as she heard the other person speak. "Sure, sure, we could do that. Tomorrow night, eight? Sounds perfect."

Now Maureen was really curious as to who it was.

"Yeah," Joanne said in a slightly softer voice. "Yeah, I'm looking forward to it, too."

_And then she giggled. _Joanne _never _giggled.

Finally, after a small blush that would've gone unnoticed by anyone other than Maureen, she hung up. Looking at Maureen, Joanne smiled. "Anyway."

"Uh, no," Maureen said with a curious look on her face. "Who was that?"

Joanne coughed slightly, looking down. "Um, no one."

Maureen leaned forward. "Joanne, you can tell me. Who was it? Now you have to tell."

Joanne looked up finally, and into Maureen's eyes.

"I suppose you should probably know this, Maureen. I'm seeing someone."

***Shields face with hands* I know....Don't hurt me! (But DO review) ;)**


	5. a Breaking Point

**I don't own RENT, but I sometimes (er, all the time) wish that I owned my very own Joanne or Maureen.**

**...But don't we all?**

Chapter 5

Maureen's jaw dropped. "You're _seeing _someone? As in _dating_?"

Joanne crossed her arms defensively. "Is that really so hard to believe?"

Maureen laughed harshly. "Um, _yeah, _Joanne! We broke up a month ago! And...and you've moved on already?" She felt a stinging sensation behind her eyes, knowing that she was going to start crying at any moment.

Joanne looked down, not able to meet Maureen's prying gaze. When she didn't look up again, Maureen scowled.

"I- have to go." She stood up, blinking a few times so that the tears didn't spill over. She ran to the bathroom first, not wanting to make a huge scene. Maureen didn't want Joanne to know that she was that upset about her _ex-girlfriend_ dating someone else.

After all, they were trying to be friends! _Friends_ didn't get upset when one of them dated someone.

And who were they kidding with their whole 'friends' act, anyway? She and Joanne could never be _just friends_. People who were 'just friends' didn't stay up late (regardless how early they had to get up the next morning) every night, exploring each others' bodies with insatiable awe.

They didn't moan and mutter "_I love you"_s and "_never leave me_"s out loud in the dark.

And they definitely didn't fall asleep so tangled up in each other, it was hard to tell which limbs belonged to who.

Maureen leaned over the sinks, splashing cold water on her face. She couldn't think about those things now. Usually, it was she who did the heart-breaking. Now that she was on the receiving end- now that she knew Joanne really had moved on, and didn't love her anymore- Maureen finally knew how it felt.

The sound of the bathroom door opening yanked Maureen out of her thoughts. She knew it would be Joanne, making sure she was okay. Which was sweet, really, it was one of the things that Maureen loved about her-

"Oh. Angel?" She saw the drag queen enter the bathroom, her shoulders falling in disappointment.

"Sorry, chica," Angel said, knowing who Maureen had been expecting. Angel walked up to Maureen, looking at their reflections in the mirror. She rubbed Maureen's shoulders encouragingly, and the diva couldn't help but smile a little bit at how her friend was trying to help.

"I saw everything, honey," Angel said softly, and Maureen hung her head in shame. "I just...I can't believe that she's dating someone else. I feel like she shouldn't, like it's okay if we're broken up, just as long as she doesn't find someone...else."

Angel nodded understandingly, and a bit sadly. "You still love her."

Maureen smiled wryly. "Of course I still love her. I'll always love her." She stood for a moment, lost in thought. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked sadly at Angel.

"...But I want her to be happy, too. I think that's important, and if I didn't make her happy enough, then I'll...I'll have to respect that, I guess."

Maureen looked back up at their reflections, cringing at the look on her tear-stained face. "Maureen Johnson," Angel said quietly, proudly, "You've grown up."

Maureen smiled, wiping her tears away with her fingertips, trying to make her face look less red and swollen.

As she turned to go back out to Joanne, whom she'd decided not to abandon after all, Maureen put her hand on Angel's shoulder. "I love you. You know that, right?"

Angel smiled and nodded, and Maureen kissed her on the cheek, walking back out into the cafe.

Joanne looked up quickly as Maureen strode back in, all evidence of her formerly red, puffy face gone; but not without the help of a bit of cover-up.

"Maureen, listen-" Joanne started to say, but Maureen held a hand up. "Joanne, it's okay."

She sat back down, and Jo raised a questioning eyebrow.

"I'm sorry that I sort of...overreacted. It was just a bit of a shock, was all. But I'm glad you've found someone," Maureen said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She stared at the tablecloth, lying through her teeth.

"Maureen, I-"

"No, Joanne! I don't want any awkwardness, okay? We're friends. Friends tell each other things." Maureen said calmly, and Joanne felt a huge relief at those words, but simultaneously, she felt as if something inside her had broken, now that Maureen didn't seem to care. She _wanted _her to be upset about it, she realized.

They were silent for a moment, as Maureen saw, out of the corner of her eye, Angel having a conversation with Collins, who looked like he was ready to beat someone up.

Probably Joanne.

Although the thought was disturbing, to say the least, Maureen found solace in the fact that at least her best friend would always be there for her. She looked back up at Joanne, taking a drink of her now half-empty beer.

"So," Maureen started, "What's her name?"

Joanne quirked an eyebrow. "Who said anything about it being a girl?"

Maureen laughed out loud. "Joanne, you stopped going for guys when little Tommy-what's-his-face spat on you on the playground in first grade. What's her name?"

Joanne smiled slightly. "You remembered that? I must've told you that like, three years ago."

Maureen nodded. "Of course I remember it, Jo."

Joanne cleared her throat a bit, looking away from Maureen. "Um, her name is Sara."

When the lawyer didn't say anything else, Maureen fought her desire to yell, "_And? _What's so damn great about her?" She bit her tongue, suppressing the urge.

"I see," Maureen said after a moment, feeling slightly awkward and upset.

"So, anyway," Joanne said, obviously noticing the change in the mood, "Back to what we were talking about, before that interruption."

Maureen nodded dutifully. Her eyes met Joanne's, and she knew they both understood that tonight would be the last night they'd really be able to be _them. _After tonight, they might still see each other from time to time; like at a gathering with their group of bohemian friends. It wouldn't be the same, though, Maureen knew.

So tonight, they would remember. They'd reflect on the ups and downs, tell nostalgic stories, and pretend that there was nothing else outside of each other, just for a little while longer.

Maureen grinned as she thought back to how they had first met. "Like I was saying, it's a good thing that I did what I finally did."

Joanne nodded. "It sure was."

~x~

Joanne waited in her office, going through Maureen's papers. Maureen was late, again, which was no surprise. They'd been having these meetings every Tuesday for the past month; and each time, Maureen strolled in at least ten minutes late, clutching a paper coffee cup and her purse.

Although Joanne had made consistent attempts to be professional with Maureen; it was becoming harder and harder to get the diva out of her head. Maureen seemed to dwell in there constantly; popping up in the front of her mind at the most inopportune times.

The door opened to reveal a slightly ruffled-looking Maureen, sunglasses still perched at the top of her head. She collapsed into the chair across from Joanne, taking off the sunglasses, squinting at the harsh glow of the fluorescent lights.

"Good morning," Joanne greeted her, and Maureen attempted a smile. "Not so good."

Joanne looked at her apologetically, while still restraining from asking personal questions. Maureen continued on, "I was up really late last night, working on an idea for a protest. I had some serious inspiration going, and I finally put down the pen, ready to call it a night."

Joanne unconsciously leaned in closer, listening. "And so my boyfriend, Mark-"

A shock ran through Joanne's entire body, making her heart skip a beat. So Maureen _did _have a boyfriend. Even though Joanne knew that Maureen would probably never go for someone like her, it almost pained her to hear that someone else, _especially _a _guy_, held that title.

"-was being a complete asshole. So then I was up even _later, _arguing with the albino pumpkin-head!"

Joanne raised her eyebrows. Well, Maureen certainly didn't _sound _like she liked him very much.

Maureen finished, looking at her nails absently, and Joanne cleared her throat. "Um, so, boyfriend, huh?" She asked awkwardly, cursing herself afterward for even saying it.

Maureen smirked. "Don't read so much into it." She looked up at Joanne, those almost amber eyes searching her face. Finally she winked, though Joanne wasn't sure if she had imagined it or not.

_'Don't read so much into it?' _Joanne thought. _Doesn't she know that by telling me not to read into it, she's practically inviting me to do a full-out analysis of this entire situation?_

Joanne groaned in confusion, and as Maureen's head snapped up, she realized that the groan had been out loud. "Right, so, Ms. Johnson-"

Maureen sighed, exasperated. "I swear to God, if you call me that one more time-"

Joanne looked up, eyes wide. "What?" She asked, suddenly afraid of an angry Maureen. The diva stood up, and Joanne was sure that she was going to leave the room.

Instead, however, she paced back and forth on the grey carpet, running a hand through her hair. Finally she stopped, looking straight at Joanne.

"Is there something wrong with me?" She asked, her tone completely serious.

"Wha- what? Maureen, I don't-"

"Is there?" Maureen put her hands on her slim-yet-sexy hips, putting on an almost threatening pout. "Am I too brunette? Do you like blondes better? Am I too fat? Too skinny? Or not rich enough, maybe that's it."

Joanne shook her head, her jaw tight. She stood up, resting her hands on the top of her desk. "Maureen, what are you talking about? Are you okay?"

Instead of answering, Maureen stepped closer to Joanne, inching toward her. Joanne instinctively backed up toward the wall, getting closer and closer to it with each one of Maureen's steps. She didn't want to create an awkward situation, especially since she wasn't sure if she could restrain herself, with Maureen being so close.

Finally, there was no more space between Joanne and the wall, and her back connected with it. Maureen's face was centimeters away from hers; so close, in fact, that she could feel the other woman's breath on her upper lip.

Maureen's honey eyes bore into Joanne's for a moment, and the lawyer's body tensed in anticipation as she realized what was coming next. Her heart pounded in her ears as Maureen's lips pressed against hers, and she felt a tingling, electric shot run through her body as Maureen kissed her. Small, yet strong arms wrapped around Joanne's waist and back, pulling her closer.

Joanne was so overwhelmed by the heady, dizzy feeling that had spread throughout her entire body; she hesitated momentarily before taking control of her lips, moving them against Maureen's. A warm, wet tongue traced Joanne's lips lightly, before slipping in to mingle with the lawyer's own tongue.

She felt Maureen pull away slightly after a minute, moving to look at Joanne, whose eyes were closed. Joanne panted slightly, a dark blush on her cheeks. She opened her eyes, looking into Maureen's smiling ones.

Reaching around to the back of her head, Joanne pulled her back into the kiss, her tongue taking over as the dominant one. Maureen's hands traveled down to Joanne's backside, groping, and Joanne felt that familiar feeling of desire in the pit of her stomach.

Her own arms ran up and down Maureen's toned biceps, lightly scratching at them with her fingernails. Maureen moaned into Joanne's mouth, and Joanne responded with a strangled little cry, completely overwhelmed by all of the intense sensations she was experiencing.

A throat cleared suddenly, though it wasn't Maureen's. Joanne was so close to the woman, she would have felt it. She opened her eyes slightly to see where the noise came from, and quickly pulled away from Maureen as she realized who it was.

Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, Joanne struggled to maintain balance. She blushed a deep red, her eyes trained on her desk. "Uh- um, hi, dad."

**Reviews are the Mark to my Roger. ;) Hehe...just kidding.**


	6. a First Date

**A/n: Yes, I know, I waited three whole days to update! Crazy, huh? My excuse is that I got a new guinea pig yesterday to bond to my other one (his former life partner passed away last month), Honeybear. My new pig is aptly named Pookie. No joke. :D**

**Oh, and I saw WICKED YESTERDAY! YEAHHHHHH you're jealous. I cried, twice. Anyways...**

Chapter 6

She could feel both Maureen's and her father's eyes on her, and finally she looked up. "Joanne," her father greeted her coolly.

Harold Jefferson had known about his daughter's "alternative lifestyle" (as he liked to call it) since she was seventeen years old. Still, even six years later, he hoped that his little girl would find a nice man someday, get married, and have lots of babies.

He had never accepted Joanne's girlfriends, regardless of how serious she said they were. As Joanne stood there, watching the collected, yet inwardly fuming expression on his face, she knew she'd be in for a long lecture from her mother about "so-and-so's son, from church."

"I see you've been getting to know your client," he said, looking Maureen up and down. He looked like he'd just sucked on a lemon.

Maureen waved, smirking, and Mr. Jefferson cleared his throat again. "Well, Joanne. I suppose I've made a mistake; assigning you to a young, attractive female. Maybe I should give you a little old man next time?" Joanne snuck a look at Maureen, whose eyes twinkled with mischief.

She couldn't help but bite her lip, holding in a laugh at her father's words. "Thanks, dad, but that won't be necessary."

Her father nodded. "Right." His eyes traveled downward, and Joanne followed his gaze to her ass, which a certain hand was still groping.

Joanne, in an uncharacteristic act of defiance, slung an arm around Maureen's shoulders possessively.

He muttered something that Joanne couldn't make out, turned around and stepped back into the hallway, closing the door behind him.

When the door was shut, Maureen and Joanne dissolved into laughter. Joanne felt like she was in high school again, and she loved it. Finally, they regained their composure, Joanne sitting on top of the desk with her legs dangling off the end.

In her head, she ran through everything that had just happened in the last ten minutes, looking up at Maureen almost shyly. "Hi," she said quietly, and with a smile, Maureen sat down next to her on the desk, taking her hand. "Hi."

~x~

"We had a pretty hot first kiss," Maureen commented, smiling at the memory. She unconsciously licked her lips at the thought.

She smiled at Joanne, her hand practically throbbing with the desire to touch Joanne's. So she did; Maureen had a feeling that Joanne wouldn't be upset by a little hand-holding.

The diva slid her hand toward Joanne's, which rested on the tabletop, and coffee fingers intertwined with cream ones, creating a stunning contrast.

Joanne looked at their hands nervously, biting her lip. "Phil?" She called offhandedly, still staring at the hands.

Phil came rushing up to their table, scratching his pimply face while he waited for Joanne to speak.

"Could you, uh...Get us a couple of Long Island Iced Teas?" Maureen raised an eyebrow at her, surprised, but Joanne ignored her, instead focusing on the dorky, adolescent waiter in front of her.

Phil's eyes lit up like Joanne had instead said, "Could you, uh...come back to our apartment to have a threesome?" instead. He nodded, rushing off to get the drinks, which would inevitably get both of the women drunk as hell.

"You okay?" Maureen questioned, lightly rubbing her thumb over Joanne's palm. The lawyer swallowed, nodding. "Yeah."

Maureen looked at her, eyes twinkling. "Long Island Iced Tea?" She asked curiously. "When have you ever had one of those? Never with me, that's for sure."

"I can do things without you, you know," Joanne huffed, cringing as it came out of her mouth, instantly feeling bad for the obvious blow.

Maureen cleared her throat; it seemed like this night was made of tension. They couldn't even talk about _drinks _without one of them getting bitter about their breakup.

Phil returned, setting their drinks down on the table carefully. Joanne looked curiously at hers.

"I know you can, Jo," Maureen said quietly, taking a sip of her drink. "I remember how impressed with you I was on our first date. You ordered that expensive wine, remember? Nobody had ever done that for me; it was usually beer...or tequila, if I really hit the jackpot."

Joanne smiled. "Well, you were worth it," she remarked with a definitive nod, picking up her drink and taking a sip gingerly. She cringed as it went down, but tried to put on a brave face, if only to preserve her dignity.

"And it was right here, at the Life Cafe. It's symbolic, really..." Maureen didn't add the "_since this is our last night together," _but the unspoken words hung in the air still.

~x~

Maureen waited outside, in front of the Life Cafe; smoking a cigarette, rubbing her hands together to ward off the cold. Oddly, it was she who was early this time; though Joanne was known for being punctual, and she for always being late.

Maureen hadn't seen Joanne since the day they'd kissed for the first time, even though it had been almost two weeks since then. As soon as Joanne's father found out that his daughter was "engaging in unprofessional activities" with Maureen, she had been transferred to another lawyer, never to see that gorgeous mocha woman again.

Or so she'd thought.

On the way out of the law practice, Joanne had caught up with Maureen; she'd taken both of the diva's hands in hers, and asked her out on a proper date.

One that didn't involve desks or disapproving fathers. And _especially _all of that damned professionalism, she'd said with a laugh.

Just as Maureen was about to go inside and wait where it wasn't completely freezing, Joanne came into view, wrapped in a form-fitting black trench coat. As she got closer, a smile found its way onto her face, which Maureen couldn't help but mimic.

"So, I'm looking for my date," Joanne said conversationally, stuffing her hands in her pockets. "She's beautiful, with long, chestnut hair, and she's got eyes like you would not _believe." _Maureen blushed and smiled, not used to being treated like she was the only one there.

Contrary to popular belief, in her dating history, Maureen usually got stuck with the "bad boys" (or girls) who treated her like shit. When she started dating Mark a year ago, everyone had laughed at the two of them. They'd all said that the couple wouldn't last a week, because they were so different, but Maureen had stayed with him, perhaps just to prove everyone wrong.

She liked to do that.

Mark was sweet, most of the time, though he didn't pay enough attention to her. The important thing was that Mark provided her with food and a place to stay. Though she hardly loved him anymore; or at least not as more than a friend, she depended on him for some basic needs.

"Maureen?" She snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of Joanne's voice, smiling. She liked the sound of her name when Joanne was saying it.

"Want to go inside?" She nodded, following Joanne into the cute, yet romantic, little cafe. Maureen had been the one to suggest it; she had been to the Life Cafe a myriad of times before with Mark, Roger, Collins and April.

"You look really nice," Maureen said to Joanne, not really knowing what else to say. Joanne smirked. "You don't look too bad yourself."

Once they were seated, their waiter came to take their drink orders. Maureen opened her mouth to speak, but Joanne looked up from her menu and beat her to it. "Could we get a bottle of Cabernet?"

The waiter nodded, hurrying off to get their wine, and Maureen looked from the menu to Joanne, impressed. "But...that's the most expensive drink on the menu!" Joanne nodded, giving her hand a small squeeze. "You're worth it."

The waiter returned with their wine and glasses, and Joanne poured some for both of them, holding hers out in a toast. Maureen met it, smiling over the brim of the glass. "To first dates," she said easily, and Joanne laughed, clinking her glass with Maureen's.

They both sipped at their wine for a minute, until Maureen leaned forward expectantly. "So," she began, "Ms. Jefferson. What do you do when you aren't saving poor peoples' asses?"

Joanne laughed at that, a breathy, sort of gravelly sound. Maureen decided that she liked it very much. "Well, let's see. I'm not too exciting. I like to read; and no, not always boring law books. I love going to poetry readings, musicals- I love them. And of course, I enjoy long walks in the park." Her dark eyes twinkled at this, and Maureen felt that she could get lost in them.

"And you?"

The drama queen tilted her head slightly, trying to think of something interesting to say.

"Well, I protest. Against lots of things, really. As you know, I've done animal rights protests. I've also done a couple for gay rights. One of the protests, actually, came from my friend Collins. We've been best friends since high school, and one time...We were both in the school play, they put on 'A Chorus Line' that year. So, I played Val, and Collins played Paul, the gay guy who gets injured at the end. Anyhow, he was reciting this beautiful monologue, and...halfway through, someone in the theatre shouted, "Fag!" and Collins turned beet red and ran off the stage. That was my very first protest...It was for him."

Joanne looked horrified. "Oh my god...That must have been terrible..."

Maureen shrugged. "We grew up in Scarsdale. It's rich, it's white, and it's the suburbs. People there aren't used to diversity. Not like here." She gestured to the cafe. "I love it here."

Joanne nodded. "So do I. I've lived here all my life, but I'll never get tired of it. I actually grew up right here, in Manhattan. The Upper East Side, actually."

Maureen raised her eyebrows. "I know," Joanne continued, with a smirk. "That's why I got out of there, and moved to SoHo. I like being around artsy people, even if I don't have an art, myself."

Maureen shook her head, smiling. "I'll bet you do."

The rest of the night went wonderfully, almost like a dream first date should be, Maureen thought. They'd ordered food, both glad that the other was a vegetarian. After all, it wasn't really a turn-on, to Maureen, to watch her date eat a dead animal.

Joanne, on the other hand, was turning her on, just by sitting there. There was something about her, something about _them, _that was magnetic. Maureen was strongly attracted to Joanne, for some reason; it was almost a primal sort of lust. Though she felt that they also connected on an emotional level as well, she'd never felt this way- the nagging urge to just tear this woman's clothes off was ever-present.

About halfway through the meal, a slow, salsa-esque song came on in the restaurant, earning Maureen's attention. She looked at Joanne, who was sipping at her wine.

By now, Maureen had a slight alcohol buzz; she felt warm and a bit exhilarated. Looking at her date right then, Maureen knew that she wanted nothing more than to dance with Joanne.

Extending her hand casually, she eyed Joanne. "May I have this dance?" She giggled, slightly light-headed.

The corners of Joanne's mouth ever-so-slightly curled upward, and she took the hand, her eyes sparkling. Standing up, they both made their way toward the open area, by the bar, where two other couples were already dancing.

Joanne pulled Maureen close to her, leaning in to whisper in her ear, "By the way, I can't dance anything but the tango."

Maureen laughed. "Yes, you can." She rested her hands on Joanne's slender hips, gently swaying from side to side. Joanne took the hint, rotating her hips every now and then. Her arms snaked lazily around Maureen's neck, bringing them closer than ever.

They swayed in time to the music, Joanne occasionally spinning Maureen around, making her laugh giddily.

Joanne's entire body almost molded into hers, and she could feel parts of it pressed flush against parts of _her _body, making her head spin and her heart pick up its speed.

"See," she managed to whisper into Joanne's ear thickly, "you _can _dance." She felt Joanne chuckle, and let the tip of her tongue dart out and touch Joanne's earlobe, in turn making her gasp.

As the music ended, she pulled Joanne into a sort of hug, pulling away after a moment. She was surprised when Joanne grabbed her and pressed a firm kiss to her lips, one that lasted for slightly longer than was permissible as a casual peck.

Maureen finally pulled away, amazed to feel that her lips still tingled. The effect this woman had on her was surprising, to say the least.

They returned to their table, picking up where they had left off, but after that, one of Joanne's hands stayed intertwined with Maureen's on top of the table, filling Maureen's chest with an unfamiliar, yet welcoming feeling.

When the check came, Joanne insisted on paying, though Maureen had offered to split it. Maureen just thanked her, and winked, saying that she could pay for their next date. And there _was_ going to be a next date, Maureen could tell.

At the end of the date, Maureen and Joanne walked hand-in-hand through Tompkins Square Park together, both enjoying the other's presence. When they got to a bench, they sat, and Joanne blurted out something she'd been thinking about all night.

"What about your boyfriend?" She asked worriedly, and Maureen grabbed her hand, afraid that Joanne was going to change her mind about dating her.

She sighed. "What about him?" She asked smoothly, and Joanne rolled her eyes.

"Let's start with: Are we a thing?" She asked, holding onto Maureen's hand with slightly more pressure than before.

"Darling, we're everything." Maureen grinned, and Joanne couldn't help but smile back. "Listen, Jo, I really like you. A lot. But you have to understand...I _live_ with Mark. I can't...I can't do that to him, not yet. But...I- I will. I'll end it...eventually. When the time is right."

Joanne nodded, partially satisfied with Maureen's answer, but she wondered if the diva was telling the truth. However, she didn't push it. After all, it was only their first date!

They were silent for a moment, staring into one another's eyes. Then, finally, Joanne leaned in, closing her eyes, and Maureen felt her heart contract.

It was coming. She knew what was coming, and she didn't even have time to think about it before-

A kiss.

Maureen couldn't help but smile into it, running her fingers through those crazy curls on the lawyer's head. They moved closer and closer to one another until they were completely pressed up against one another. The kiss was perfect- a perfect ending to a perfect night, but somehow it was different.

It was more than what Maureen had been hoping for.

The kiss wasn't rushed and heated like the first time, though Maureen could still almost feel the lust coming from Joanne; just as she probably gave off similar vibes. This kiss, though, was soft and sweet and- dare she say it- caring. No one had ever just _cared _for Maureen before, and she welcomed it.

They finally broke away from the kiss with identical smiles on their faces; standing up, as it was time to end the date. Joanne hugged her close, and Maureen could smell her lavender perfume. "Goodnight," Joanne whispered in her ear, and she whispered it back breathlessly.

Joanne was so...romantic, too, which Maureen hadn't been expecting.

They pulled apart then, Joanne leaning in to peck her on the cheek. "Call me."

**.x.**

**Press the green button and make me a very, very happy person please :)**


	7. a First Time

**A/n: Sorry for the delay in getting this up. I had bad writer's block with this chapter, so...I finally pulled the rest of this out of my ass, and thank you to my long-suffering beta, MissBonhamCartersPoppet, for taking time from her **_Wicked Auss-_**ome adventure to go over this mess. :) (Sorry, I'm not so punny)**

Chapter 7

Joanne watched Maureen's face as she re-lived every laugh, every emotion from the story she was telling. Her eyes would light up, or she'd get a little, embarrassed smile on her face when she reached a particularly romantic part.

Joanne, understandably, found herself in quite a predicament; sitting in front of the woman she had loved for so long. She felt all of the old feelings rush back to her, though it wasn't what she wanted. What she _wanted _was to forget about all of this. Maureen had caused her too much pain- they had been in an unhealthy relationship, really. They couldn't go a week without fighting- usually about absurd, insignificant things.

They were two completely opposite people- madly in love with each other, madly in _lust _with each other, too, but that was where the similarities ended. Maureen needed someone who could give her the attention she needed- Joanne really wanted that for her. Someone better. Maureen could truly be happy if she were with someone else, someone who didn't work all the time, and who enjoyed the same things that she enjoyed.

Joanne, in turn, needed someone who had more stability. Maureen was far too reckless for her, too wild and untamed. Though it was exciting and attractive, at first, she found that Maureen's issues really brought out the mother in Joanne; and she really didn't want to have to be the responsible one all the time. Sara was a pediatrician. She loved kids. She was stable.

"...And then we kissed. Remember that? You were such a romantic, Joanne, something I always loved about you. Especially after dating so many _guys_." Maureen said the last word like it was a disease, and Joanne had to smile.

Her hand was still holding Maureen's, she noticed, and it was warm and comforting in her palm. Maureen finished finally, looking longingly from their intertwined hands to Joanne.

The lawyer realized then that she couldn't do this to Maureen. If the old feelings Joanne had for the diva were hitting _her _hard, she couldn't even imagine what Maureen was feeling, especially since she now knew about Sara. They'd only been out a couple of times, but Sara was cute and funny and charming, which Joanne really liked. Her long, wavy brown hair and big, hazel eyes were stunning, to say the least, but it wasn't that Joanne was in _love _with her.

To Joanne, women like Sara- nice, lovely, amiable and probably lovable- represented what she could have without the train wreck called Maureen in her life.

She pulled her hand away. "I'm sorry, Maureen," she said, gathering her things. "I can't do this to you, it wouldn't be fair."

"Wait!" Maureen's hand shot out and grabbed Joanne by the arm. "Stay. _Please_ stay. I'm fine, don't worry about me. I won't...I won't hold your hand."

Joanne held her breath as she looked at Maureen, who was putting on her trademark pout. Finally, Joanne caved, like she always did.

"Okay," she said, sitting back down. She took a large sip of her drink. She could feel a light buzz coming on, as it usually did when she drank alcohol, but this time it wasn't helping her deal with her ex-girlfriend.

She sighed. "Listen, Maureen. I need you to understand something. I'm not...By remembering all this with you, I'm not going to come rushing back into your arms, okay? I just...don't want you to have that expectation."

Maureen nodded slowly, understanding. They were silent for a moment, until Joanne voiced her thoughts from before, if only to break the silence. "Besides," she said, "we were too...crazy in love, for our own good. In lust, too, which certainly hasn't helped us. Besides that, though, Maureen...I don't know if there was anything else. I mean, not that I don't, or _didn't _love you, it's just...we're complete opposites. Nothing in common."

Maureen opened her mouth to protest, but bit back what she was going to say. _Did Joanne really mean that? _Instead, she changed the subject, knowing that fighting about it wouldn't help. She smiled wistfully. "Speaking of lust, remember our first roll in the sheets?"

Joanne couldn't help but grin slowly at the memory of that. "That was..." Maureen started, and Joanne nodded. "It was."

.x.

Maureen and Joanne sat on Joanne's large, comfortable couch in her spacious, if not slightly plain living room. They had just finished another date, which had consisted of dinner and a movie, right there at Joanne's apartment. Although Joanne was not much of a cook, and had ordered Chinese takeout for the both of them; the food was good, and she had picked out Maureen's favorite movie- "The Wizard of Oz."

Presently, Maureen was listening to the shrieking sounds of the Wicked Witch of the West's infamous melting scene- which never failed to bring her to tears- as she cuddled up into Joanne's welcoming frame.

As that wretched farm girl and her stupid dog returned to Kansas, the credits rolled and Maureen looked up at Joanne, smiling. "I love that movie. Thanks for _rent_ing it."

Joanne wrapped her arm around Maureen's shoulders, making her feel safe. She buried her nose in Joanne's neck. "Mmm...You're so nice..." She sighed.

Joanne pulled her back up for a kiss; their mouths meeting in a passionate lip lock. By now, they'd kissed on several occasions, but the urge to do more was slowly growing stronger and stronger, for Maureen.

Maureen was the first to deepen the kiss, letting her tongue mingle with Joanne's, and her hands explore the lawyer's body. Joanne was a good person to fool around with; just another one of the things Maureen liked about her. The odd thing was, though: Maureen felt something different when she was this close to her.

She felt...emotionally connected with Joanne, which was an entirely new feeling for the diva. It was like with every moment she spent with Joanne, Maureen fell harder for her.

"Mmm..." Joanne moaned, flipping Maureen onto her back on the couch. Her warm hand slid up Maureen's shirt, pulling a gasp right from the drama queen. Maureen reached for Joanne's other hand, taking her wrist and placing the hand on her backside.

"Maureen..." Joanne moaned as Maureen wrapped her legs around the lawyer's waist. "Hmm?" Maureen whispered, slightly out of breath from their actions. "T- take off your...shirt..." Joanne mumbled against Maureen's neck, leaving agonizingly slow kisses below her ear.

Maureen nodded, her cheeks flushing red. They'd only been dating for a few weeks; they hadn't been past that point yet. Joanne looked as if she didn't give a damn, though, and Maureen definitely didn't. She pulled off her shirt, tossing it onto the floor and pulling Joanne back into their kiss.

Joanne was quick to break it, her hands finding Maureen's chest. She kissed down Maureen's stomach, running her tongue over the tattoo on Maureen's ribcage. As much as she was enjoying what Joanne was doing, Maureen pulled Joanne back up to her lips, pulling the lawyer's blouse over her head.

As more of the mocha skin was revealed, Maureen couldn't help but pull Joanne closer to her, enjoying the feeling of the bare brown skin on her own. They kissed again, and Joanne quickly pulled away, standing up.

Joanne whimpered as she felt the Joanne's warmth leave her, but Joanne held out her hand, and Maureen took it, smirking at the expression of lust on Joanne's face. The other woman led her to the bedroom, pushing her down onto the large, comfortable bed.

After that, everything was a blur. Clothes were shed, moans sounded, and before Maureen knew it, they were lying in a tangled, sweating, giggling heap on the bed.

Turning her head slowly to face Joanne, Maureen sighed, trying to catch her breath. "Amazing."

Joanne grinned at her. "I know."

She rolled over, her fingertips soothingly rubbing Maureen's flat stomach. Maureen leaned in, stealing a sweet kiss from Joanne's lips. She pulled away, looking at the both of them. Cream and Mocha skin contrasted beautifully, and Maureen marveled at the difference in the colors.

"You're so beautiful," Joanne said softly, and Maureen blushed. "So are you."

She thought back to the first day they met. Maureen almost laughed as she remembered the stuffy-looking lawyer in the elevator next to her. But there had been something between them, obviously, and with a dash of serendipity, that stuffy lawyer's limbs were now tangled up with hers.

Joanne traced the tattoo on Maureen's ribcage, looking up at her questioningly. "What does it mean?"

"It's an Irish Claddagh," Maureen explained. "My Grandma used to wear a Claddagh ring when she was still alive. When she died, I got it to remember her. She was a cool lady."

Joanne smiled sadly. "I'll bet she was."

.x.

The next morning, Maureen woke up to the sound of a sigh. Joanne's sigh. Maureen smiled as she felt Joanne snuggle into her more closely. She kissed the top of those unruly corkscrew curls.

Waking up with Joanne felt right, Maureen realized. It was nothing like waking up to Mark, his pale, wiry arm wrapped around her waist. Instead, a sensual, coffee-colored arm fell lightly across her stomach.

Suddenly realizing something, Maureen sat up, a jolt running through her body. _Mark!_

She hadn't planned on spending the night at Joanne's last night, hadn't been planning on taking things that far. Maureen was glad that they had, of course, but she hadn't called Mark.

Mark, being the way he was, was probably worried sick about where she was.

She heard Joanne stretch and yawn next to her, and even with the thought of a worried Mark in her head, Maureen had to smile down at her new lover. "Good morning."

Joanne grinned, sitting up. "Good morning." Surprisingly, she pulled Maureen into a hug. Resting her chin on Maureen's shoulder, Joanne spoke huskily. "Last night was, um..."

Maureen pulled away. "Was what?" She asked, suddenly embarrassed. Did she do something wrong?

Joanne grinned. "It was incredible. I...really like you," she said shyly.

Maureen kissed her on the nose. "I know the feeling."

Joanne sighed happily. "So. Want to have breakfast?"

Maureen thought for a moment. "No."

Joanne raised an eyebrow. "No?"

Maureen shook her head. "I have to go. Just let me get dressed, and I'll be back here in a half hour, and we'll eat breakfast. Okay?"

Joanne looked confused. "Where are you going?"

Maureen grinned, pecking her on the lips. She pulled on her bra and underwear, quickly throwing on the rest of her clothes from the night before. "You'll see. Be back soon, Pookie." Maureen pecked Joanne on the lips.

With that, she was out the door quickly, before Joanne could reply.

_Pookie, _Joanne thought, _I like that. _

.x.

Maureen tiptoed into the loft, not wanting to make too much noise, in case Mark was still asleep. Though she would have to deal with him sooner or later.

"Maureen?" Mark walked out of the bedroom, scratching his head. "Where were you?"

Maureen sighed. "Mark, we need to talk."

"About?" He padded over to the coffee maker, getting out the old can of Cafe Bustello.

"About...us."

Mark held up a hand. "Maureen, I know what's going on."

Maureen cocked an eyebrow. "You do?"

Mark sighed, looking at least five years older than he actually was. "Yes. But...I tried to ignore it, you know? I just thought, if I don't say anything, it'll stop. Because I love you, Maureen. I don't know if I could live without you. So... I'll take it."

Maureen was starting to feel really bad, however, she kept the look on Joanne's face this morning in her mind, and clenched her fists, looking Mark into the eye. "Listen... Marky. You've been...great. And I love you, I do. But...I just feel like we're better as..."

"As what, Maureen? As friends?" Mark interrupted, his face turning red. "I love you! You can't do this to me, please don't do this to me!" The look on his face was pure anguish, and Maureen felt even worse.

"Mark." She sat down, gesturing for him to do the same. After a few seconds of resistance, he finally did. "Mark. I really want to be friends. I think we worked better as friends. I just...I've met someone, someone who makes me feel...like me."

Mark scoffed. "Like you? Maureen, what the hell are you talking about? Who is this person?"

Maureen swallowed. "Her name is Joanne."

His mouth hung open. There was an awkward silence for a moment, until it finally sunk in for Mark. "A _woman?_" He yelled. "You're dumping me for a _woman?" _

Maureen sighed, wishing that he'd react better. Before she could reply, Collins stumbled out of his room sleepily, having been woken by the exchange between Mark and Maureen.

"Hey, what's going on?" Collins asked, sitting down next to Maureen. "Hey, Mo." He patted her shoulder sleepily, and Maureen smiled sadly at Collins.

"She," Mark pointed to Maureen, "Is leaving me," he pointed to himself, "for a WOMAN." Collins looked at him sympathetically, and then turned to Maureen. "Mark, Maureen never told you she was bisexual?"

Mark shook his head dumbly, and Collins pursed his lips. "Oh."

He looked at Maureen again. "So, what's her name?" He prodded, poking her in the ribs.

"Joanne." Maureen blushed, grinning at Collins. "Ooh, you like this one, I can tell," Collins said to his best friend, a proud smile on his face.

Mark was completely confused. "Wait. You're taking her side? She's leaving _me_!"

Collins shrugged. "I'm sorry, really, Mark. But..." He trailed off, and Maureen stood up. "I'll call you later, Collins."

Collins nodded, and Mark looked at her. "So you're choosing this."

Maureen nodded. "I'll be back for my things."

"Where will you stay?" Collins asked, concerned. Maureen shrugged. "I'll see if Benny can get me a good deal around here."

.x.

As Maureen returned to Joanne's apartment, she opened the door. There, sitting at the table with two plates of pancakes, was Joanne, who smiled up at her as she closed the door behind her, taking off her shoes.

"I left Mark," Maureen said, a smile in her eyes.

Joanne stood up, walked over to her, and pulled her into a kiss.

And they ate breakfast together.

.x.

**For those of you who are sickened to death by the fluffiness, lol, there will be angst. It will be here, soon. So fear not!**

**Oh, and you know what's weird? I just saw Norbert Leo Butz In a Pillsbury commercial, or something like that. Like ten minutes ago. Haha…Just thought I'd share. :P**


	8. a Reconnection

**A/n: Sorry about the delay in getting this up. I blame writer's block, Art History exams and that damned play "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Grrr... **

**Anywho, here's the next chapter, and thanks to the lovely **_The Last Truffula Tree, _**who helped this story out of a rut! :)**

**Oh and don't forget to review!**

Chapter 8

There was complete silence at the small table as Joanne and Maureen finished their story. They just looked at each other, both too deep in the memory to come back to the present. Joanne didn't want to, either.

"Joanne, maybe if..." Maureen trailed off, and Joanne knew _exactly _what she was thinking.

Maureen was going to try and work out a compromise, as usual, and this time...Joanne didn't know what she would say to it. She was so caught up in the memories of their love, that she could hardly remember the numerous times they'd fought. They were slowly slipping away...

"...Maybe if we just tried this over again..." Maureen started, but Joanne interrupted her.

"Maureen, do you remember all the nights you'd stay out late?"

"Jo, that was-"

"And you'd come back, completely wasted? Smelling like liquor and cheap perfume?" Joanne said, digging her fingernails into her palms. She remembered now.

Maureen leaned forward, concerned. "Joanne, I've told you, I'm really sorry, and-"

Joanne held her hand up, and Maureen abruptly stopped. "It's my turn, now," she said almost patronizingly, and Maureen cocked an eyebrow. Nobody cut off Maureen Johnson. Not even if they were her ex-girlfriend, whom she still loved.

.x.

Angel looked back over at Joanne and Maureen's table; toes tapping against the floor nervously. Her fingers itched with the desire to go and smooth things over between her two friends. Though she knew that the only way Mo and Jo would ever make up would be if they did it themselves, Angel was known for being a control freak, especially when the answer to all of this was so apparent.

"Babe," Collins said, placing his large hand overtop of Angel's, "just ignore them."

Angel looked up at her lover, sticking out her bottom lip. "But...but they need help! I can help them. They're being so...stupid." She had seen everything; the holding hands- Joanne almost leaving. Now they both looked very angry.

Collins chuckled. "I know. But we have to let them figure that out for themselves."

Angel nodded. "Yeah, you're right." She looked back up and into Collins's deep brown eyes, getting lost in them, as usual. However, she was pulled out of her trance when she heard a sharp laugh.

"_And you'd come back, completely wasted? Smelling like liquor and cheap perfume?" _Angel heard from Joanne, though it was hard to be sure, since the cafe was slightly crowded and noisy.

She looked back at Collins with a desperate look on her face, and Collins laughed. "You're too caring, that's your problem," he observed, eyes shining.

Angel smacked him on the shoulder. "Shut up. Thomas."

His eyes narrowed. Collins hated being called "Thomas," and only Angel could do it without making him angry.

Angel tossed her hair with a grin. "I'm going over there," she said finally, standing up. "I need to help them remember what they love about each other."

Collins shook his head. "Lost cause, Ang. I've known Maureen forever. She's too stubborn to be convinced."

Angel ignored him, standing up and sneaking over to their table. "Hey, chicas," Angel greeted, and Joanne gave her a _now is not the time _look. "Everything going well?" Angel asked sweetly, ignoring the look.

"No," Maureen grumbled, crossing her arms.

Angel put her hand on Maureen's shoulder. "Let's just remember that we all love each other here, we're all friends, and-"

"Who could love an anal-retentive bitch?" Maureen scoffed, raising a challenging eyebrow at Joanne.

"_Me?_" Joanne looked positively appalled. "You're the one who has issues! Commitment issues, alcohol issues, _flirting _issues," she ticked each one off on her fingers, ignoring the burning look Maureen gave her.

"Okay, for the fifty-fucking-millionth time, Joanne, I never cheated on you!"

"I don't know that! How many people have you fucked while we've been broken up? Hmm?" Joanne said, crossing her arms defiantly.

Maureen raised an eyebrow calmly. "I'm a grown woman. I can do what I want."

Joanne laughed harshly. "I knew it."

Angel sighed. She obviously wasn't going to be able to sway the feuding women, she was foolish to even think she'd be able to.

"Okay," Angel said, eyeing the clock on the wall. "It's almost midnight. Collins and I will just go," she said sadly. "I'll call you tomorrow, JoJo. We'll do lunch."

Joanne turned to Angel, regret in her eyes. "Sorry, Ang."

Angel shook her head unconvincingly. "No, no, it's okay. See you two later."

With that, she gestured to Collins, pointing to the bathroom. She had to make a pit-stop, while he would pay the bill. Hurrying off to the restroom, Angel could hear Maureen and Joanne begin to argue again.

.x.

"See, look at that!" Joanne pointed to Angel's retreating back. "Now you've gone and made her upset. She was only trying to help."

Maureen's jaw fell open. "ME? YOU'RE THE ONE WHO DOESN'T LOVE ME ANYMORE!"

They were both silent as Maureen covered her mouth, cursing herself for revealing what should have remained hidden.

Joanne looked sad, Maureen noted. Very sad. Almost as if she wanted to say something, but she was holding back. Maureen added a tear or two for dramatic effect.

She could almost _see_ her ex-girlfriend melt from the tears. "Maureen, it's not that I don't love you, It's just..."

That definitely _wasn't _what Maureen had been wanting to hear.

Maureen held a hand up. "No, Joanne. It's okay. You don't have to explain yourself."

Joanne sighed and nodded, and Maureen stood up, throwing some bills on the table. "I have to run to the restroom, but that should cover the drinks."

She paused, looking from Joanne's beautiful face, to her own shoes. "I guess this is...goodbye. I wish you the best."

With that, Maureen turned her back, walking toward the washroom, not with the usual hip-swaying saunter that she always used to do to attract attention.

Maureen tried not to cry as she stepped into a stall and closed the door, locking it. She had sincerely thought that she and Joanne would resolve their differences and get back together that night. To say it was a disappointment would be the understatement of the year.

.x.

Joanne wished she hadn't had all of those drinks.

If she hadn't then she wouldn't have to pee so badly now. She didn't want to confront Maureen in the bathroom, but her bladder wasn't giving her a choice. Entering the bathroom, Joanne was taken by surprise as she heard singing coming from one of the stalls.

She couldn't help but smirk as she recognized Maureen's gorgeous singing voice. Of _course _she would be singing while peeing. It was such a half-drunk Maureen thing to do.

She hummed a tune that was a cross between "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," occasionally singing words she made up as she went.

Joanne looked around, glad that no one else was in the bathroom. Not that Maureen would care, either way.

As she stepped into her own stall, Joanne was hit with a memory of Maureen singing.

.x.

Joanne sat in the front row of the small, dimly-lit theatre, flipping through the playbill, searching for Maureen in it.

_There she was. _The picture was her headshot, which Joanne had seen many times before. She was listed as the second character to appear; the love interest of the lead.

Maureen had been so excited about this off-Broadway show for months; she was convinced that it was her big break.

"Pookie," she'd said many times, expertly kissing Joanne's neck, "You'll be there, right?"

Joanne had smiled, rolling her eyes at the doubt in Maureen's voice. "Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss it for the world."

And she hadn't. It was opening night, and here Joanne was, reading her playbill and waiting for the show to begin.

In Maureen's paragraph, it said all of her usual information: regional shows (some), where she'd gotten her BFA (from NYU), and of course off-off and off-Broadway shows (four to date).

At the end of the paragraph, however, Joanne was surprised to read a particular sentence:

_Maureen would like to thank her dedicated friends, her castmates, and especially her unfailing Joanne._

Joanne beamed with pride at that, still wondering, even after a year, how she had gotten Maureen.

The lights dimmed, and Maureen and the blonde man who played her boyfriend walked onstage, acting out a fight scene.

"Baby, baby, don't listen to her! I'd never cheat on you!" He said, and Maureen hit him with her purse.

"You were, you asshole, and you still are!" He exited at that, and Maureen sat on a strategically placed stool, beginning her solo.

As Joanne listened to Maureen sing, she was surprised at how different it was from other times she had sung in front of Joanne.

In the shower, while making breakfast, or Joanne's favorite: singing her to sleep.

It was professional, it was beautiful, and it brought tears to Joanne's eyes. She knew then that she always wanted to know Maureen, and if she couldn't, she didn't know what she would do.

She felt so proud to call Maureen her girlfriend, to be the one who went home with her each night.

As Joanne watched Maureen pour everything into her performance, she swore she saw the diva wink at her.

.x.

Joanne realized something, half-drunk and standing at the sinks in the bathroom. Maybe it was the alcohol, and maybe it wasn't:

She couldn't, and would never be able to resist Maureen. And even if she found someone else, no matter how 'nice' or well off or charming the person was, they'd never quite compare to her Maureen.

And Joanne honestly didn't know why Maureen had this effect on her; she wasn't quite sure if Maureen even knew she'd singlehandedly ruined Joanne for anyone else.

And Joanne wasn't sure she really cared.

But right then, Joanne knew that she wanted, no, _needed _to be with Maureen. She wanted to get married, and have kids, and maybe even grow old with this woman. And if Maureen didn't want to have kids, they wouldn't have kids. Just as long as Joanne got to be with her.

She didn't know if the sudden prospect scared her, but it did thrill her, in a way.

She heard a stall door unlock, and Maureen stepped out, walking to the sink to wash her hands, avoiding Joanne's eyes on her the entire time.

Finally, Maureen finished and looked up, not sure why Joanne was staring at her.

Joanne inched toward her, and Maureen slowly backed away until her back hit the wall. Joanne thought of everything she could think of, "I want to be with you," or "Let's try this again," but she settled on a simple,

"Hi."

Maureen raised an eyebrow. "Can I help you?" She shied away from Joanne's proximity, ducking under her arm. She made her way to the sinks, attempting to ignore her ex-lover.

Joanne sighed. "Maureen..." She started, unsure of how to explain her sudden change of heart. "I...don't know how to say this..."

Maureen gave her a look. "Then don't." She could have walked out, though, but she secretly wanted to hear Joanne's explanation for all of this. The lawyer always made a point to _not _be vulnerable. She usually put up walls, and Maureen was lucky to ever see past them. Now, though, Joanne looked almost desperate.

Maureen took extra time drying her hands, waiting for Joanne to speak. "Do you remember...the first show I saw you perform in?"

Maureen nodded. Of course, how could she forget? She had worked extra hard to impress Joanne.

Joanne smiled a bit. "Well, I was so proud. You were amazing. Well, you know that. And the way you sang...and talked...and looked at me; I mean, I think you looked at me. I couldn't be sure."

Maureen spoke softly. "No, I looked at you."

Joanne smiled. "And, and I just thought...and am thinking now...Maureen, you're...you're everything. There's something about you that's just..."

Maureen shook her head. It was too late for this. She felt herself start to give in to Joanne; heavens knew that was all she wanted to do right now! But the stubborn person inside of her was telling her _not _to give in.

"I...I have to go," Maureen said, blushing lightly. She quickly started to walk out the door, but Joanne walked to the entrance swiftly, grabbing Maureen's hands.

"Let go of me, Joanne," Maureen said quietly, though her tone wasn't very convincing.

"Never." Joanne said shortly, pressing Maureen up against the wall. She felt the diva tense, until she pressed her lips against the other woman's.

Not needing any further encouragement, Maureen moaned and broke away, only to take a shallow breath, before re-attaching her lips to the other woman's. She pulled the lawyer closer to her, and Joanne took this as a good sign. She slipped her tongue into the kiss, slipping her hands into the back of Maureen's jeans.

Maureen tangled her fingers in Joanne's shoulder-length hair, wrapping her arms around her neck.

Finally, they broke apart, both panting slightly, with a renewed sense of intimacy that only a kiss could bring.

"So..." Maureen started, unsure of what the kiss meant. She was instantly comforted, however, when long, slender fingers brushed over her cheek, stopping on her lips.

"So, what?" Joanne asked, though she already knew what the _so _has meant.

"Are we...are we back together? What made you suddenly decide this? Is this a goodbye thing? Or...not?" Maureen asked hopefully, the hint of a smile gracing her features. She _knew _this would happen. It _had _to happen. She and Joanne couldn't just _not _be in each others' lives.

Joanne answered the question by placing tender kisses on Maureen's neck, causing the drama queen's breathing to become uneven.

"Maureen, I'll never be able to resist you. I...love you." Joanne whispered, and Maureen grinned. "Honeybear."

She gasped as she heard the pet name come from Joanne's lips, realizing that she hadn't used it in months.

Before Joanne knew it, Maureen was tugging on her hand roughly. She led the lawyer to an unoccupied stall, gesturing to the inside. "After you?"

Joanne smirked, leading her to another. "Let's use the handicap one. It's got a mirror!"

Maureen's face lit up. "I like the way you think!" She led Joanne into the stall, locking the door behind them.

.x.

Angel smirked as she stepped cautiously out of the stall she'd been in. She had heard everything. Were they gone? She looked around the bathroom, hearing two sets of muffled moans, followed by a sort of strangled cry, coming from the handicap stall.

_Harder! Oh, Joanne!_

_That's right, baby, say my name! Say it!_

Angel wrinkled her nose. Well, at least they were back together. With that, she waltzed back out into the restaurant, searching for Collins. He was waiting for her.


	9. a Misunderstanding

**A/n: Just a warning, I think I'll be ending this at chapter 11. Thanks for all your wonderful reviews! They keep me going =) **

**Shoutout to The Last Truffula Tree, again!! :D She beta'd this and changed it...for the better. (Great, now Wicked is in my head.)**

Chapter 9

Maureen and Joanne eventually emerged from the handicap stall, both out of breath and sweating slightly, hand-in-hand.

The stopped in the hallway leading back to the dining area of the Life Cafe, and Joanne leaned in to peck Maureen on the lips.

"Do you want anything to eat, or do you just want to go home?" She asked, brushing some of Maureen's hair from her eyes.

Maureen looked at her shyly. "And where would home be?"

Joanne looked down, shrugging her shoulders. "Wherever you want it to be."

Maureen grinned, running her hands lightly over Joanne's biceps. "In that case, I say we have some dessert, and then go _home_."

Joanne knew that by _home, _she meant the lawyer's place, and not the loft, where she'd been living for the past month or so.

Joanne nodded, taking Maureen's hand and leading her to the table. "Sounds good to me."

They sat back down in their chairs, this time scooting closer together, instead of across from each other; where they had been before.

Phil approached them confidently, glad they were back. He had worked up enough courage to finally ask out the brunette, figuring she must've been into him, judging by the way she was flirting earlier.

"You ladies ready for the check, or can I get you anything else?" He asked politely, and the brunette looked from the menu to the darker woman, finally deciding on something. "I'm in the mood for chocolate..."

She started, and the other woman giggled and swatted at her on the arm playfully. "Didn't you already have some of that tonight?" She asked seductively.

Phil seriously couldn't figure out their relationship.

"Yes," she returned with a sultry look, and then continued. "But really," the brunette said, looking up at Phil, "I want the chocolate cake. Want to split it with me, Pookie?"

_Pookie? _Phil thought with bewilderment.

"Yes, please," the darker one smiled, looking back to Phil for validation. "Okay, then, uh, coming right up." He walked away from the table, order in hand.

"So, Jo," Maureen said seriously. She took Joanne's hand in hers, tracing her thumb over it lightly; back and forth, back and forth.

"Mmm?" Joanne said contentedly, glad to have Maureen back.

"What about Sara?"

Joanne paused, startled by the question; before looking at her with a raised eyebrow and a chuckle. "What about her?"

Maureen raised her eyebrows, too. "Are you going to break up with her?"

Joanne snorted. "Um, yes. What else would I do?"

Maureen smiled. "Hey, just asking. Oh, unless..." She got a glint in her eye, and she grinned that infectious grin of hers at Joanne.

Joanne pursed her lips. "No, Maureen. No threesomes."

Maureen pouted. "But...but...C'mon, Jo, I'll bet she's hot. After all, you've got great taste in women." She winked and laughed as Joanne shook her head.

"I do. But...Somehow, I doubt she's going to want to talk to me." Maureen shrugged and nodded, squeezing Joanne's hand more tightly.

Phil returned moments later with their chocolate cake, placing the plate down between them.

Maureen took a forkful of the cake, holding it at Joanne's lips. "Ooh, thank you," Joanne said, opening her mouth and letting the bittersweet chocolate melt on her tongue.

Phil cleared his throat. Maureen looked over, slightly annoyed. "So, can I get your number?" Phil asked casually, and Maureen's jaw dropped in surprise.

"Wow, you're forward," She replied, raising an eyebrow. She felt bad for the poor guy, but decided to have a bit more fun with him.

Phil shrugged. "Well, I just thought...a pretty lady like you should have a nice _man_," he looked pointedly at Joanne, "to take care of you."

Joanne raised her eyebrows, appalled. Maureen held back a laugh. "Well, where is he, Phil? Where is this guy?" Joanne said impatiently. She'd had enough of him.

Phil smiled engagingly at Maureen, ignoring Joanne. "So! Your number?"

Maureen snorted. "Sorry, I'm taken." To prove her point, she sat on her girlfriend's lap and pulled Joanne toward her, pressing their lips together in a heated kiss. She made a show of it, slipping her tongue in to mingle with Joanne's, and letting her hands wander provocatively.

Joanne, in turn, pulled Maureen closer, resting her hands on Maureen's ass.

After several seconds, Maureen began to get into it more, unconsciously grinding her hips into the lawyer. At this, Joanne broke apart, gasping for breath.

"Okay, okay," she laughed. "I think we've made our point."

She then looked to Phil, whose jaw hung open. Maureen began giggling uncontrollably, pointing at Phil. Joanne looked at her, confused, and then back to Phil, realizing what Maureen was pointing at.

Phil looked from the two women to his pants, flushing in embarrassment. It wasn't like it was his fault! They were just so...so...damn hot together!

Eyeing them nervously, he cleared his throat. "Right, see you then," he said, turning around and grabbing a menu to cover himself as he dashed to the back of the restaurant.

"Marty, I'm taking a break!" He called as he burst into the 'Employees Only' room.

Maureen sighed. "Okay, I _really _don't want to know what he'll be doing on that break."

Another waiter, female this time, approached them a moment later. "Hi, I'll be taking over for Phil. Is there anything else I can get you, or would you like the check?"

Maureen glanced from the empty cake plate to Joanne, and Joanne smiled at her. "We'll have the check, thank you."

As the waitress walked away, Maureen stood up. "I'll be right back, Pookie. I'm just going to have a cigarette before we leave." She pecked Joanne on the cheek, grabbed her purse and headed out the door, leaving a slightly angry Joanne at the table.

Why did Maureen have to smoke all the time? It was disgusting, and a bad habit. Joanne wished she would just quit.

As Maureen lit up behind the Life Cafe, their waitress leaned against the wall next to Maureen, giving her a grin. She smelled faintly of bubblegum. Maureen looked at her golden blonde hair, well-endowed chest and petite frame, and grinned back. "Hi."

The waitress cocked an eyebrow. "Hi."

Maureen took a drag of her cigarette. "Aren't you supposed to be waiting tables?" She asked.

The waitress giggled, a tinkling laugh. It wasn't Maureen's favorite type of laugh, but that was just fine with her. She didn't need much to work with when flirting.

"Don't tell anyone," the waitress said, her eyes sparkling. "Could I..uh, bum one?" she asked Maureen, looking longingly at the pack of Marlboros.

"Sure," Maureen chirped. She took out a cigarette and handed it to the woman, who stuck it in her mouth and waited expectantly for Maureen to light it.

"Light?" She said, though it came out more muffled, because of the cancer stick that was between her lips.

Maureen lit the cigarette, and the girl inhaled. "Thanks," she said gratefully on the exhale, flicking the ash from the cigarette.

"So, you come here often?" She asked Maureen, who shrugged noncommittally. "Yeah, sometimes, with my friends."

The woman nodded. "You're with a friend tonight, too?" She asked casually, and Maureen smirked, nodding. "We're close."

The woman nodded. "I'm Kris." She held her hand out for Maureen to shake, and the diva took it. "Maureen."

Kris smiled. "Maureen. Nice name, I like it."

They were silent for a few moments, before Kris spoke again. "So," she said flirtatiously, turning toward Maureen. "You light random womens's cigarettes often?"

Maureen nodded. "Yeah." Kris looked at her, confused, and Maureen laughed. "Well, not _too _often. Guess you're just special like that."

Kris grinned. "Maureen...You have gorgeous eyes, has anyone ever told you that? They're like..."

Maureen raised an eyebrow. "Honey? Yeah, my girlfriend tells me that all the time."

Kris's grin grew. "Girlfriend, huh?" Maureen nodded. "You mean that chick in the business suit is _your _girlfriend?"

Maureen nodded again.

Kris laughed. "No offense to her, Maureen, but...isn't she a little butch? I mean...You deserve someone...hot."

Maureen pursed her lips and stepped away from Kris. "I don't need to have this conversation with you. I love Joanne."

"Uh-huh." Kris said sarcastically. "You just need..."

Maureen threw her cigarette to the ground, putting it out with the bottom of her shoe. "No, I don't need anything. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm just going to-"

She was cut off as Kris pushed Maureen against the wall, standing up on her toes to reach Maureen's lips. She pressed their lips together in a heated kiss. Maureen didn't feel anything special, though she did taste smoke breath.

_Is this what it's like to kiss me? _She thought vaguely, before attempting to pry Kris, who had a strong grip, off of her.

Finally, she was able to untangle Kris's little arms from her waist, pushing the woman away from her. "I said I wasn't interested," Maureen said coldly, turning away to go back into the restaurant.

Kris folded her arms. "You really don't know what you're missing out on," she huffed. "Go back to your little butchy girlfriend now."

Turning back toward an upset Kris, Maureen smirked at her. "You know what? Fuck you, because the suspenders my _little butchy girlfriend_ wears under those business suits are fucking hot!" She turned in triumph, opening the door to re-enter the cafe. "And the sex is great!" She called as she shut the door behind her.

Finding Joanne at the table, Maureen smiled at her. "Hey, baby. Ready to go?"

Joanne nodded, getting her purse. "Odd, the waitress never came back with the bill. Oh well, I guess Phil's hitting on you paid for it," she said with an eye roll, taking Maureen's hand in hers.

"Let's go, then, Pookie." As they exited the cafe together, Joanne stopped, turning to look at Maureen, her eyes sparkling. "I'm so glad Angel made us do this."

Maureen grinned. "You can say that again."

Instead of saying anything in reply, Joanne wrapped an arm around Maureen's waist, pulling her closer. She leaned in and kissed Maureen sweetly, smiling into the kiss. Maureen's arms went around Joanne's neck, savoring the moment.

Abruptly, Joanne pulled away with a weird look on her face. "Maureen? Why do you taste weird?"

_Oh, shit... _Maureen thought.

"Um, what are you talking about, Pookie?" Maureen said, shaking her head and taking hold of Joanne's hand, as if to change the subject. "C'mon, it's getting late. Let's go."

Joanne yanked her hand out of Maureen's grasp, looking at her with furrowed brows. "Maureen, I...feel like I'm being paranoid, it's just...you tasted like...bubble gum...But you weren't chewing any, nor have I ever seen you chew gum. It's....bad for your voice, right? That's what you always said."

Maureen's eyes widened, and she knew she'd been caught. "Okay, here's what happened. That waitress-"

"The waitress??! What did you do?" Joanne's jaw fell open, and she looked at Maureen, completely appalled.

Maureen shook her head. "Joanne, it isn't like that. _She_ came onto _me_! _She_ was the one to kiss _me_!

Joanne shook her head, speaking in a monotone. "She kissed you. You kissed. Great."

Maureen put her arm on Joanne's, but Joanne pulled away. "Joanne, just listen to me! It's not what you think, I love you!" Maureen was about ready to burst into tears. Just as they'd gotten back together, she had gone and screwed it up again!

Joanne wiped a few tears of shock from her eyes, shaking her head. Putting on her lawyer face (the one she seldom used on Maureen, contrary to popular belief), she gave Maureen a withering look.

"But you let her."

Maureen shook her head again. "Honestly, why can't you just listen to me?! You're so over-dramatic sometimes, I swear..."

"Just go- fuck off!" Joanne yelled angrily, her eyes flashing.

She turned then, wanting to be as far from Maureen as was possible. Sloshing through the rain-soaked streets of the East Village, Joanne Jefferson went home.

.x.

.x.

**Cliffy....Oooohhh...If you want Maureen to go after Joanne, text 'follow' to 214332. (Just kidding. Don't you hate those?) Or you could just review, to find out.**


	10. a Fight

**A/n: ****Sorry about the wait. This chapter is just a filler, really, and updates for all of my stories will be much faster after next Wednesday, when finals are over. Also, I'm waiting to update my Wicked fic until after I see it this weekend (:D); I'm hoping inspiration will hit, or something.**

**.x.**

**Chapter 10**

Maureen stared after Joanne, her heart sinking.

To her, it felt like this might just be the last straw. She was so sick of this fighting-- of the yelling and crying and making up quickly, and then starting the nasty, vicious cycle all over again.

Maureen started down the sidewalk and onto the street, searching the open, empty road for Joanne. She scanned the area, figuring that her lover couldn't have gone far. Maureen had been close behind her.

Her eyes fell to a park bench, where she decided to sit down for awhile, since she wasn't going to just find Joanne in this huge city. Tompkins was always a good place for thinking, Maureen knew.

She used to go to the park when Mark or Roger, or even April, was getting on her nerves. Since Central Park was relatively far, and Tompkins was only a few blocks away, Maureen opted for the lesser-known hangout spot.

_That was so long ago, _Maureen thought, her mind wandering back to the times when she and Mark were still a couple- when Roger was still high on smack, and April was usually with him.

Everything had changed so much, since then.

It wasn't that she stopped loving Mark. She always loved him-- but after everything they'd gone through, Maureen felt like Mark had been...tainted by it. He was a different Mark than he had been when they first started dating.

Tainted by death, drugs, and the loss of April. And...inevitably, the eventual loss of Roger.

Joanne had changed everything. She had pulled Maureen out of the depressing little hole she'd hid in. She comforted Maureen-- and had figured out that there was more to Maureen than good looks and sex. Which Mark had never really understood.

Joanne had saved her.

Clenching her fists, Maureen decided that there was no way she'd let Joanne get away this time. Not after everything. She didn't want to admit it, but Maureen had no idea what she would do without Joanne. She would be lost.

She stood up, confident in her plan, and began walking. She would go find Joanne and make things right-- she would beg, if she had to. All of this fighting was stupid and pointless, and it wasn't worth it.

She would make Joanne listen, even if the lawyer didn't want to hear it.

Maureen just needed to make one quick stop. She walked purposefully toward the tiny flower shop on Avenue A, determined to win Joanne back.

___________________________________________________________

Joanne stood in her empty apartment, staring at the items before her.

_Ice cream: check_, she thought as she looked at the half-full container of Edy's Birthday Cake ice cream-- her favorite since she was a kid.

_Sweatpants: check, _Joanne looked down at the old sweats she had thrown on a few minutes ago.

She brought the entire tub of ice cream with her, along with a huge spoon. Turning the TV to "Law and Order," Joanne relaxed into the sofa.

This was how she was supposed to wallow in self-pity, wasn't it? At least, it was always what she'd seen on television.

This time, she wouldn't hide in her work. She wouldn't pretend like everything was okay-- hell, she wouldn't even get a new girlfriend.

Not until she got over Maureen, at least.

And Joanne really didn't know if she ever would. She was completely in love with a woman who stomped all over her emotions without giving a damn!

It really was unfair.

Joanne knew she had to recognize the fact that there was nothing she could do about this situation.

As she scooped some of the slightly-melted ice cream out of the tub and spooned it into her mouth, Joanne wondered if this was the end. They'd had some pretty nasty fights, usually about really stupid stuff. Joanne thought back to their first fight as a couple.

____________________________________________

Joanne walked into the bathroom to wash her hands before dinner, her eyes falling to the toilet in the corner.

The seat was up-- and the toilet bowl was staring at her, almost grinning menacingly. Joanne _hated _it when the toilet lid was left up; she always made a point to put it back down after using it, exposing the rest of the public (or whoever came to use it) to the fluffy purple cover.

Now, since it was Joanne's apartment, and she'd just recently let Maureen move in with her, she thought nothing of it, quickly putting the cover over the toilet.

She smiled-- now it looked better. Nobody wanted to see the inside of someone else's toilet.

The next day, Joanne walked into the bathroom, seeing the same thing again. "Maureen?" She called, figuring that it would be best to handle this in a straightforward way.

Maureen skipped into the bathroom, following the sound of Joanne's voice. "Hey, baby!" She kissed Joanne on the cheek, slowly working her way toward her neck, and the lawyer smiled.

Before she could let Maureen distract her, though, she got right down to business. "I just wanted to talk to you about the toilet seat. The lid is up, and I've always kept it down. It looks sort of gross when it's up like that," she explained.

Maureen raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "So I'd appreciate it if you just put it down after you're done using it. Okay?"

Maureen walked over to Joanne, chuckling. She brushed a strand of Joanne's hair out of her eyes, shrugging. "Yeah, whatever, Pookie."

Joanne nodded, satisfied, and let Maureen distract her further.

.x.

"_Maureen_!" Joanne called from the bathroom, looking angrily at the toilet.

She turned on her heel, searching the apartment for her girlfriend. She found her sprawled out on the bed in their room, reading a book.

"Maureen."

"Yes, Joanne. You didn't have to yell. This apartment is small." Maureen looked up from her book for a half-second, before gazing back down at the page.

"Maureen, you left the toilet seat up again."

Maureen sighed. "And?"

Joanne threw her hands up in the air. "Come on, Maureen! You're not twelve, and I'm not your mother. You're staying in _my _apartment, so I expect you to follow just a couple of basic rules."

Maureen put her book down, turning her attention to Joanne. "Oh my God. Rules? God, Joanne, I'm so sorry that I forgot to put the toilet seat down." She rolled her eyes. "You're acting like it's the end of the goddamn world."

"What I'm angry about is your total lack of respect for me! For what I want!" Joanne shook her head, annoyed that Maureen could be so selfish.

Maureen laughed harshly. "Oh, come on. This isn't fucking Psychology class. It's only a toilet. Of course I respect you. You just like to make a huge deal out of _nothing." _

"It's not nothing," Joanne said quietly. "It's everything." She got up to leave, but stopped when Maureen spoke.

"And they call _me _the drama queen."

Joanne raised her eyebrows. "Okay. If that's what you think, then you can find another place to live."

Maureen's eyes flashed with anger. "You're the one who wanted to stay here, not me! I suggested we find someplace together, somewhere that would be a shared apartment. Home to both of us. But _no. You _said that this place would be both of our homes! That your house is my house!"

Joanne groaned. "It is, when you _put the fucking toilet seat down_!"

Maureen stood up in a huff. "Whatever. I'm gonna go get some air."

Joanne rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you do that. Just go to the loft and use _their _bathroom. They don't give a damn, obviously."

Maureen looked at her like she was five years old, which almost made Joanne's jaw drop. "Joanne, just...shut up."

With that, Maureen walked out the bedroom door. Thirty seconds later, Joanne heard the door slam.

______________________________________________

Joanne sighed, looking at the soupy tub of melted ice cream. Sometimes, she wished she'd never met Maureen Johnson.


	11. a Resolution

**A/n: I remember when I used to be one of those fast updaters….well, blame the stupid AP Art History exam. I swear, I have no idea why I even took the class…Anyway, I saw Wicked on Sunday, and it was AMAZING. Yeah. My cast was lovely and amazing (I've found a new favorite Elphaba in Marcie Dodd), 'cept Fiyero, who had a sort of beer gut thing going on…Anyway!**

**Thanks so so so so so much to my gorgeously talented beta, The Last Truffula Tree, who has taught me many things, including the fact that 'surer' is indeed a word. THANK YOU!**

**Next chapter is the last! Cookies to you if you notice my two unintentional "Moulin Rouge" references.**

**.x.**

_**Chapter 11**_

_**____________________________________**_

Maureen walked out of the flower shop, satisfied with the bouquet of flowers in her hand. She would prove that she wasn't a lying, cheating person--it had all been a mix-up. Soon, they'd be able to forget this whole night had ever happened.

Maureen paused to catch her breath, realizing just how exhausted she was. It was past one in the morning, and so much had happened: she and Joanne had eaten and gotten drunk together, re-lived almost their entire relationship, and had gotten back together again.

Then, they'd had amazing make-up sex, and broken up. Again.

Only this time, Maureen would get her back, for good. She was running on pure adrenaline now; the alcohol that had previously been in her system had worn off quite a while ago.

Maureen felt her eyelids start to droop as she walked down Avenue B. _Only a few more blocks to Joanne's_.

She dug through her purse for a moment, searching for her pack of Camels. She shook one out, eager for the relaxing, though energizing feeling it would quickly give her, after a few hits.

As she stared at the cigarette, her mind flickered back to Kris's little pink tongue in her mouth, making Maureen gag with what tasted like smoke breath. Maureen dropped the cigarette on the ground, squashing it with the toe of her high heel. Joanne had always hated it when she smoked--in fact, they had broken up over it, and had originally gotten together because of it!

Well, now Joanne would finally be happy, because Maureen was quitting. She knew it wouldn't be easy--hell, it was going to be tough--but as admittedly selfish as Maureen Johnson was, there was no way she'd ever risk leaving her woman unsatisfied--or even worse, disgusted--by the ashtray taste in her mouth.

Because Maureen Johnson, The Sex Goddess, pleased her lovers.

Maureen just hoped that Joanne hadn't given up on her yet. They'd had tons of fights, but nothing like this. On the bright side, though, there was the fact that Joanne always forgave her. Or, if it had been her fault, Joanne always tried to make everything better. And things always were.

_Take, for instance_, Maureen thought, _our first fight_.…

_______________________________________________

A mere thirty minutes after she had slammed the door to her and Joanne's shared apartment, Maureen opened it quietly, peeking inside.

It was dead quiet, probably because it had been void of the diva for the past half an hour.

She snuck in through the door, closing it quietly. She felt horrible about what she had said to Joanne--she'd actually told her to shut up!--she felt like it was middle school all over again, and she'd just been grounded.

She found Joanne curled up on top of their huge bed. She'd obviously fallen asleep accidentally, because papers were spread out on her lap. It was then that Maureen learned, for the first time, that Joanne's way of dealing with conflict was precise and simple: she buried herself in her work.

Maureen tiptoed around the side of the bed, making sure not to wake her girlfriend, whose face was stained with tears, she noted guiltily. Grabbing an extra blanket from the closet, Maureen placed it over Joanne's body, removing the papers and putting them on the night stand.

Joanne squeaked (she always did that when she slept) and rolled over, opening one eye slightly. "Mmph?" She said incoherently, and Maureen smiled. She didn't look mad, just...half-asleep.

"Hey, baby," Maureen whispered, and Joanne opened her other eye. "C'mere," she said softly, and Maureen's smile grew even bigger.

She climbed onto the bed, cuddling up to Joanne, who wrapped her arms around Maureen, feeling more awake now.

"I'm sorry," Maureen whispered, and Joanne turned her head, pressing a kiss onto Maureen's cheek.

"It's okay," Joanne whispered back.

Maureen looked into her still-wet eyes, wiping the rims of them with her thumb. "You forgive me?" She asked.

Joanne nodded with a half-smile, resting her chin on Maureen's chest. She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly. Maureen grinned with a yawn, deciding she'd take a nap with Joanne, who was being awfully snuggly today.

"Pookie, I'll never leave the toilet lid up again, okay?" Maureen said softly. Joanne didn't reply, so the diva turned to the other woman, her heart swelling when she heard a faint, soft snore come from her lover.

"Okay, Pookie," Maureen giggled. "Goodnight." She kissed her on the nose, and fell asleep next to her Joanne.

_______________________________________________

Maureen smiled at the memory. _We used to be so happy_, she thought, fiddling nervously with a ring on her index finger.

She climbed the stairs to Joanne's apartment stealthily, stopping at the third floor. As she neared number 308, she took a deep breath, stepping onto the 'welcome' mat.

She knocked firmly on the door, three times.

Joanne opened it part-way, groaning when she saw that it was Maureen. She shut the door, unlocked the top lock, and opened it wider. Maureen took in Joanne's rumpled hair, grey sweatpants, and puffy face. Seeing her ex-lover at that moment, she was even surer that this was the woman she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

"Maureen, I'm really not in the mood for your shit right now, okay? I--"

Maureen stepped forward into the apartment, causing Joanne to step back.

"Joanne. Hear me out, okay? I love you. I love you. And no slutty, skanky waitress will ever get in the way of that love. You and me? We've had something from the day we met. Please...just believe me when I say that waitress kissed me. I didn't kiss her back, Joanne!"

Joanne scowled, obviously not blinded by Maureen's confessions of love. "Still, Maureen. I...I can't trust you. You didn't tell me about that slutty waitress until I tasted it on you! Honesty and trust are huge factors in a relationship, Maureen! Without trust, there's really no love."

Maureen wrinkled her eyebrows. "Are you saying...You don't love me?" She said quietly, pathetically, and took a small step back.

Joanne sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Don't be stupid. You know I love you. I just...it's too much for me, okay? I...I think we should discuss this, but not now. I'm tired, it's almost two, and I can't deal with more of your drama. Just...come back in the morning. Or better yet, we could meet."

Distractedly, Joanne pulled out a pen. "Call my secretary. We'll schedule something."

Maureen stood, open-mouthed. "You think I don't know your office number Joanne?" She laughed harshly. "You really want to pencil in an appointment about our relationship?"

Joanne rolled her eyes, shaking her head slightly. "I just...I'm really tired right now," she lied. She wasn't actually that tired. In fact, since Maureen had come (and since she'd eaten all that ice cream), she was more awake than ever.

Maureen nodded, understanding, and Joanne loved her even more for that. She needed time, Maureen deciphered.

"Okay. But before you go," Maureen said, pulling the bouquet of flowers from behind her back, "here. For you."

Joanne looked from the flowers to her ex-lover, a part of the iron curtain between them pushed to the side, slightly. "Yellow roses," she said softly. "You remembered."

Maureen nodded, turning around to shut the door behind them. "Of course I remembered, Joanne. How could I forget?"

Joanne smiled at them, bringing them up to her nose to smell. "I could never forget. It was.... It was the first time you said you loved me."

.x.

**Reviewers get yellow roses!**


	12. a New Beginning

**A/n: The song is from a Cold Case episode (though it is otherwise well-known, duh) called "Wednesday's Women," and Tracie Thoms sings this song at the end (beautifully, I might add). Youtube it, people. Also, if you get the 'See What I Wanna See' reference, you're amazing.**

**This chapter goes out to AgainstTHEwillOFtime, who came up with the idea of Joanne being able to sing, and then challenged me to write about it. Thank you!! So, here it is, in the last chapter, and I hope you all like it!**

.x.

Chapter 12

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

It was a Saturday afternoon, and Maureen was climbing the stairs of her and Joanne's apartment building, huffing and puffing as she went.

She had run all the way there from the little flower shop on Avenue C, hoping to surprise Joanne, who thought she was still at her audition.

Maureen should've still been at the studio where it was held, but she had been one of the first ones there, and was able to go second. Now, it was 2pm, and Joanne wasn't expecting her until at least 5. At the thought of Joanne, Maureen smirked. She was probably cooped up inside, working on a case, and not outside enjoying the beautiful spring day.

As Maureen opened the door, a bouquet of yellow roses in hand, she stopped, hearing a faint sound coming from their bedroom. It sounded like Joanne was probably playing a CD on the stereo in the bedroom.

"_This little light of mine....I'm gonna let it shine...." _Maureen heard, wondering why Joanne would be playing gospel music; she wasn't even religious.

Maureen approached the doorway of the bedroom, gasping at what she saw inside.

Joanne was sitting on the bed, barefoot, with her rimmed glasses perched on the end of her nose precariously. She leaned forward, staring intently at the paperwork spread out on her lap and around her. She had a pen in her mouth, obviously deep in thought. A small smile graced her lips. "_This little light of mine...I'm gonna let it shine...Let it shine, let it shine...let it shine..."_

Maureen grinned. Joanne was _singing. _She realized that she'd never actually heard her girlfriend sing, and she wondered why. Joanne continued humming the tune, occasionally opening her mouth to sing the words, and Maureen continued to watch her from the doorway. She wanted badly to go over to Jo and kiss her, now especially, but she also wanted to let Joanne finish.

Her voice was almost heartbreakingly beautiful, like honey with a bit of gravel to it. She could tell that Joanne had soul; she sung perfectly, like she'd been trained to do it professionally. Totally on key, with something extra special, and Maureen felt herself fall even more in love with Joanne.

It was right then and there, watching her girlfriend sing the gorgeous song in such an uninhibited manner, that Maureen knew she could love Joanne forever.

Finally, Joanne looked up. Her eyes landed on Maureen, widening in shock and embarrassment. Maureen smiled, walking toward her. She sat down next to Joanne on the bed, holding out the roses. "Bravo," she said, and Joanne blushed.

"How long were you standing there?" She asked, and Maureen grinned. "Long enough."

Joanne looked down at the bedspread, tracing patterns onto it. After awhile, she said, "I'm not that bad, really, I could do better-"

"Oh, please, Joanne!" Maureen wiped a tear from her eye; one that Joanne hadn't noticed was there. "I never knew what an amazing voice you have, Pookie."

She tilted Joanne's chin up, kissing her lips softly. "You...you _liked _it?" She sounded surprised, like no one had ever complimented her voice before.

"Are you kidding? I loved it. You should sing with me sometime." Maureen wrapped her arms around Joanne's waist, kissing the corner of her mouth, and then moving to her cheek.

Joanne blushed, unable to stop from smiling. "I used to sing in my high school's chorus. I loved it."

Maureen pulled away, her brows furrowing. She took Joanne's hand in hers. "Why didn't you pursue it?"

Joanne sighed. "My parents pulled me out during my senior year, so I could get into a Law Studies class. They didn't think singing was very practical."

Maureen frowned. "God, that sucks. I'm sorry." She pulled Joanne into a hug. "Well, you can sing for me anytime. At least, I hope you do."

Joanne smiled, finally noticing the neglected yellow roses sitting on the bed. She lifted them to her face, smelling the fresh scent. She smiled sheepishly at Maureen. "How much did they cost?" She asked almost shyly.

Maureen knew that Joanne always felt weird about getting presents, no matter the context. She never knew the proper way to repay the giver, and always felt like she had to even the score.

"Does it matter?" Maureen said absently, gently stroking Joanne's brown cheek.

Joanne looked from the roses to Maureen, leaning forward to kiss her. "Thank you, Maureen."

"Just out of curiosity...Why yellow? I've never gotten yellow roses before; just pink or red," she added.

Maureen shrugged. "Well, when I went to the flowershop, I knew to look for roses, because they're your favorite."

Joanne nodded, threading her fingers through Maureen's curly hair, flattered that she'd remembered.

"And I was going through the different bouquets, and I found the regular red ones, which seemed a little cliched, to me. Overused, you know? Bo-ring. The pink ones symbolize friendship, I think, but you hate pink. Plus, we are definitely _not _just friends." She let her hands wander to Joanne's ass, as if to prove her point.

"Then my eyes sort of landed on one lone bouquet of yellow ones, just sitting there, behind all the other ones. I thought, _those ones are for Jo, _so I bought them."

Joanne smiled, looking at the roses again. "I think it was because they stood out so much, you know? Like... you're different, Joanne. Different from Mark, and everyone I've ever dated before." Maureen said quietly, and Joanne raised her eyebrows at this.

"Aw, Honeybear...that's so sweet." Joanne pulled Maureen closer to her, burying her nose in the diva's neck. "I love you, you know," Maureen said softly, and Joanne grinned as she felt her heart swell with love for Maureen.

"You do?" Joanne couldn't help but asking, wanting to make sure that Maureen _really _meant it.

"Very much."

"Good. Because I love you, too," Joanne said into Maureen's neck, and she felt the other woman smile into her shoulder. "More than you know."

____________________________________________________

"I always remembered that day...you said I was a good singer," Joanne said softly, a small smile forming on her lips.

Maureen gasped, resisting the urge to punch Joanne's unsupportive parents in the face. "Of course you're a good singer! You're fucking amazing. Your parents are...well, they're your parents." Joanne laughed at the last part, and both of them looked into each others' eyes, before quickly directing their respective gazes to something else in the room.

Joanne once again looked from the roses to Maureen, tears forming in her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but Maureen held her hand up.

"Listen, Joanne. I know things aren't perfect. You're not perfect, and neither am I. We all make mistakes, and...well, personally, I've made a _lot _of mistakes, but...I love you. You'll always be the only one for me, Joanne, you know that?"

Joanne smirked. "Maureen--"

Maureen cut her off. "No, Joanne! Listen. I'm just a girl...standing in front of another girl...asking her to love me."

Joanne laughed. "Stop quoting Julia Roberts movies and kiss me!" She pulled Maureen to her, enveloping the diva into her arms. "You don't have to ask me to love you," Joanne said after they'd kissed.

She led Maureen into the living room, sitting down on the couch with her. "I'd say we go in the bedroom, but I'm tired," Joanne smirked, pulling Maureen into her lap.

"It's quite alright, Pookie," Maureen said, wiggling her eyebrows. "You can reward me for that brilliant speech tomorrow."

Joanne nodded, satisfied, as she stroked Maureen's hair. "Good."

Maureen sat up slightly, looking at Joanne with a nervous expression on her face. "You...love me right?"

Joanne rolled her eyes playfully. "Yes, Maureen. Haven't I said that already?"

"And...you like lying here with me like this? I mean...you like this, right?" Maureen asked, unsure, and Joanne sat up all the way.

She looked at the drama queen strangely. "Umm...Maureen, are you okay?"

Maureen looked at her. "Just answer the question."

Joanne nodded. "Okay, yes, then. There's nothing else I'd rather be doing than snuggling with you. It's my favorite."

"So...Could you see yourself snuggling with me for the rest of your life?" Maureen asked, her eyes wide.

"Y-yes...?" Now Joanne was nervous, for reasons she couldn't name.

"Well then what do you say? Want to spend the rest of your life with me?" Maureen asked, exasperated that Joanne didn't get the point of her questions.

Joanne's jaw dropped. "Are you asking me...what I think you're asking me?" Maureen nodded, reaching for the forgotten bouquet of roses on the coffee table.

"Look inside, Pookie."

Joanne took the bouquet, her hands cold and shaking. She dug around inside, not finding anything. Finally, frustrated, she pulled the entire bunch of roses out, setting them on the coffee table. At the bottom of the plastic package was a ring.

"I know it's not the ring you've always wanted," Maureen said quickly. "It's not gold, and there aren't any diamonds or any of that. But...it's sterling silver," she laughed shakily, "so it's sort of...valuable. In a way."

Joanne smiled, putting the ring on. "I know...I know. It's my ring, I've been wearing it forever. I took it off my finger on the way over, when I decided. But...I promise, Pookie, the next show I do, I'll buy you a real one."

Joanne shook her head, still smiling. She looked at the ring, which had a Celtic design on it-- there were knots and intertwined pieces of silver on it.

The ring was beautiful.

"I love it," Joanne simply said. "I don't want a different ring."

"So...will you commit to me again, Joanne? For real, this time?" Maureen asked with a smile.

Joanne grinned, kissing her tenderly. "For better or for worse," she said, nodding emphatically.

Maureen kissed her on the cheek. "In laughter, and in strife."

"Oh, that's a good one," Joanne remarked idly, all tiredness gone from her body as she dragged Maureen into the bedroom.

The **Beginning**

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**I don't own RENT, Cold Case, or even Notting Hill. **

**Alright, so, I'd like to thank everyone who has ever reviewed this story! Reviews mean so, so much to me, and you've all made me very happy indeed =) I loved writing this.**

**Special thanks to those who reviewed, like, every chapter:**

_Gorgeous Smile_

_Love That Wicked_

_Phases of Obsession _**(whom I couldn't reply to, unfortunately, but my Fiyero was Colin Donnell...My Nessa was Kristine Reese and my Glinda was Helene Yorke, if you're wondering. Haha)**

_.arte_

_SPEEEEEEEAK_

_MissBonhamCartersPoppet,_** who beta'd several chapters of this =D**

**Anddd last but not least, **_The Last Truffula Tree_**, who beta'd and encouraged and is super nice and awesome, go review her stories, they're seriousfuckingly amazing!**

**You're all amazing!! And watch out for another story from me, coming up pretty soon...The plot bunnies have been attacking me lately.**


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